To Be A Child
by Legendarily Quiet
Summary: Ed is captured by a mysterious woman. He is rescued, but now has a mysterious condition! Edward doesn't remember what happened to him, so it's up to Hughes and Alphonse to find the woman who kidnapped him and retrieve some sort of antidote from her. In the meantime, Roy is stuck watching Edward, and Ed slowly realizes what it means to be a child. Parental Roy/Ed.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: **L.Q Does not own Fullmetal Alchemist.

Edward came back to consciousness with a groan. His entire body was aching, all his muscles throbbing in unison. Damn that crazy bitch. He tried to open his eyes, but found that he was unable to. Either his eyelids were too heavy or he was blindfolded.

Possibly both.

"Al?" he croaked. He waited for a reassuring response, but none came.

It was then that Ed started to panic.

He willed his automail arm to move, but for some reason, it refused to comply with the signals being sent out by his brain. Maybe it wasn't even attached to him anymore. It wasn't like he could tell.

His flesh arm wasn't much help either. He struggled weakly against the bonds that held him. To his surprise, they didn't cut into him or cause him any (additional) pain. And, come to think of it, the chair he was in was pretty damn comfy.

He was exhausted; a nap would be nice.

If it wasn't for him being blindfolded, restrained against his will, and without Alphonse, Ed would've been perfectly content to drift back into oblivion. But alas, such was not the case.

"Comfy?" A feminine voice drifted to him from somewhere in front of him.

Edward snarled in response. "Where am I? What have you done to my brother?" He renewed his efforts to free himself, but his energy was sapped and his body wasn't cooperating. Damn, now wasn't the time to be imitating a noodle!

Soft footsteps padded towards him and came to stand behind him. Edward tensed. He didn't know what to expect from this female captor. A hand placed itself on his head, and he froze. It started to stroke his hair, much like the way a loving mother would caress their child.

A soft, motherly voice spoke, "Do not fear. Your brother is safe, and so are you. I have no wish to harm you."

Ed squirmed to get away from her touch. If only he wasn't blindfolded, then he might be able to tell if this woman was a sadistic bitch, dangerously insane, or simply a bit mentally ill. Strangely, he could sense no ill intent behind her touch, and that worried him.

"What do you want with me?"

The woman didn't reply, but moved instead to take out his hair tie and undo his braid.

"Poor child," she murmured sadly, running her fingers through his hair. "In the military at the age of twelve . . . what is this world coming to?"

Ed felt gentle tugs at his hair as the woman began to re-braid it. He was so _sleepy._ Surely it would be alright to rest for a bit longer. The woman said Al was safe anyways . . .

Hell! What drug was he on? Edward forced himself to stay alert. Sure, this woman didn't _sound _dangerous, but who knew she wasn't just playing around with him before slitting his throat?

Done with his hair, the woman rested her hands on his shoulders. She gave them a light squeeze. Or, she gave his left shoulder a light squeeze. Ed knew one hand only felt cold, hard metal; the symbol of his sin.

"Such hardships and trials, forced upon one so young," the woman continued, her voice a soft whisper. "Where has your childhood gone?"

What the hell! What was this woman trying to get across? He wasn't some sort of pitiable kid! He _chose _to join the military, damn it! And that decision was given to him in the first place because he _chose_ to try and play God!

He couldn't help himself; Alphonse entered his thoughts. This woman was making him think about _his _lost childhood when he should've been thinking about Al's. Who was he to complain, when his little brother was trapped in an unfeeling shell, unable to eat, sleep, or _feel?_ Why was it that Al got off with the worse punishment when he didn't even commit the crime?

Ed asked himself again and again; where was the equivalent exchange?

"Every child deserves a loving hand, a gentle touch, a chance to flourish under a watchful, caring eye." The woman interrupted his thoughts. Her grip became a little bit tighter – still much too gentle to hurt – and her voice became a little firmer. "Every child is _entitled _to a childhood. Every child has the _right _to be a child."

Yes. Yes, yes, yes, that was all true. Alphonse had the right to be a child, but how could he be one, when some didn't even consider him human? How could he receive gentle touches and loving words when some people couldn't see past his hard exterior? When people couldn't even see the _interior?_ For when you opened up that suit of armour, there was nothing there.

Nothing but a trapped soul.

The hands removed themselves from his shoulders. Ed heard the woman's footsteps walk away.

Good. The crazy woman was leaving.

Ed's relief was short lived though. The footsteps returned almost immediately. Ed felt his left sleeve being rolled up. He snarled as he felt a tiny prick in his left arm.

"What the hell! What did you do to me?"

He felt betrayed, somehow. His mind struggled to form coherent thoughts through the haze that suddenly blanketed his mind. Hadn't the woman said he was safe?

"Edward Elric." His name fell from her lips with such love, and Edward was painfully reminded of his own mother. What he wouldn't give to go back to that time . . .

His mind was suddenly overwhelmed with images of his childhood. Edward felt light and almost happy, even as he was descending into unconsciousness.

As Edward's thoughts slipped away, he thought he heard his strange captor say one last thing.

"You're only a child once in your life. Be sure to enjoy it while it lasts, Fullmetal Alchemist."

* * *

Colonel Roy Mustang squinted through the darkness. The building was old but obviously well maintained. A light shone through a window on the second floor.

"Are you positive this is where Fullmetal is being held?" He addressed the suit of armour that was crouching beside him in the shrubbery.

"Yes sir. I was able to follow her after she knocked Brother out. This is where she took him."

The Colonel nodded. He signaled to Hawkeye and Havoc. "Cover the back, Havoc. Hawkeye, you're with me."

"Yes Sir!" Havoc and Hawkeye replied.

Under the cover of darkness, Havoc circled to the rear of the house, while Hawkeye came up beside Mustang. She drew her gun from her holster and clicked the safety off.

Mustang turned to Al. "Alphonse, I want you to stay here. We need you to be our eyes and ears out here in the front."

Al looked like he wanted to protest, but his obedient nature stopped him from doing so. "Please bring my brother back safely," he said instead.

Mustang nodded to show he understood. With a final tug on his ignition gloves, he took off towards the house, with Hawkeye following close behind.

* * *

The house was as orderly on the inside as it was on the outside. There wasn't any dust anywhere, suggesting that this remote house was lived in and well looked after.

After doing a cautious scan of the first floor for anyone lying in wait, they proceeded to the second floor. Roy winced as the stairs creaked softly under his weight.

The second floor landing was dim, save for the thin strip of light that shone from beneath a closed door at the end of a hall. Hawkeye separated from him to do a quick sweep of the floor as Roy crept towards the door.

Somehow, Hawkeye was at Mustang's side again by the time he made it to the closed door. For some reason, Mustang dreaded opening the door. He feared what would be on the other side. If Fullmetal was gravely injured . . . he didn't know _what _he would tell Alphonse.

After taking a deep breath, he threw open the door. With Roy's fingers poised to snap and Riza's gun drawn beside him, he charged into the room. He was met with a confusing sight.

They had entered a bedroom. The ambiance of the room was actually quite pleasant; a fireplace was crackling merrily in a corner, casting a warm glow over the room. Roy spotted Edward almost immediately. He was sprawled out on a four poster bed with his eyes closed. Even from across the room, Roy could see the steady rise and fall of his chest. It looked like Edward had simply lain down for a nap.

After checking that there was no immediate threat, he rushed over to Fullmetal. "Fullmetal, wake up!" he said, shaking the boy's shoulder. Fullmetal was unresponsive. They had found Edward and he had no injuries that Roy could see, but that was no cause to celebrate.

"Sir, we should bring him to a hospital," Hawkeye stated the obvious.

"Agreed," Roy replied. Without a moment's hesitation, he scooped Edward into his arms and headed out of the house, Hawkeye covering him.

* * *

From the window of another room in the house, a woman watched as Edward was sped off to the hospital, his younger brother barely getting a glimpse of him before he was loaded into a military car.

"Take good care of him, Colonel," she whispered.

* * *

**Lest: **You finally worked up the courage to post something!

**Legendarily Quiet: **Yes, yes I did.

**Lest & L.Q: **We don't need to tell you, but we'll say it anyway: review review review review!

**L.Q: **Pretty please with a cherry on top?


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: **Legendarily Quiet does not own Fullmetal Alchemist.

* * *

Edward didn't even need to open his eyes to know he was in a hospital yet again. He felt the metal railing of the hospital bed against his left hand, and the scent that only hospitals had was all around him. The annoying beeping of machines could be heard as well, tracking his heart rate and blood pressure and broadcasting it for everyone to see.

The strange thing though, was that Edward wasn't in any pain. Normally his injuries always reminded him of their presence the moment he woke up, unless he was drugged. But his thoughts were clear and he felt perfectly fine. For whatever reason Al had brought him to the hospital for, it was perfectly false. Ed would have to tell him off later.

Ed cracked open his eyelids, blinking quickly in the bright light. Yup, he was definitely in the hospital. He could recognize those white walls, white floors, and white sheets anywhere. He wondered for the millionth time why they wouldn't at least just paint the walls red.

Red was such a badass colour, always helping him to get fired up and giving him the energy he needed to execute his amazing ass-kicking techniques. Red was perfectly suitable for a hospital; patients needed that extra boost in order to beat down their illnesses or injuries faster! He asked the doctors about it every time, but they never listened. Maybe they just didn't like the fact that red went so well with the colour of blood.

Edward glanced around the room; he was all alone. Where was Al? The person who brought him to the hospital for no reason should at least have the decency to stick around. Oh well, he had had a good nap, at least.

Edward sat up and swung his legs off the bed. He found that he was dressed in unfashionable hospital attire. He would have to find his clothes before he got out of here. Ed stuck his feet into some conveniently placed hospital slippers and started to shuffle towards the door.

He had to stop though when he realized he that was still attached to the beeping machines. Ed ripped the wires off him without a second thought. Almost immediately after he did that a nurse walked in. Whoa, did they have some kind of psychic power? Ed recalled that they always got mad at him when he tried to leave early.

The nurse gave a small start of surprise when she saw Edward standing up, the wires still clutched in his hand. "Oh! Mr. Elric, you're awake!"

Edward grinned back at her. "Yup, and I'm feeling as fit as a fiddle! May I have my clothes back?" Maybe if he smiled a lot and acted really polite they would let him leave right away this time.

His hope was short lived.

"Not so fast sir!" the nurse said playfully. "We have to do a few check-ups and then your guardian will come to sign you out."

Edward simply sighed and trudged back to his hospital bed. So much for getting out early. At least Al would probably come see him soon. And Mustang would drop by to sign him out as well. He was looking forward to seeing his superior again.

Wait a second, did he just say he was looking_ forward _to seeing Mustang?!

Edward paled with disgust and sat shock still on his bed. Maybe he did need to have an examination after all.

* * *

"I have some interesting news for you, Colonel," the doctor said to Roy.

Roy gulped. He had been in the hospital with Hawkeye and Alphonse all night. He had ordered Havoc to go home and get some rest. He had ordered Hawkeye to go home as well, but she refused to leave his side. Between sitting in Fullmetal's room, staring at the boy and wishing he'd wake up, and pacing the waiting room, he was exhausted. He himself had only gone home once to freshen up and get something to eat, at Hawkeye's insistence.

"What is it, Doctor?" Roy hoped against all hope that the doctor was not lying and the news was simply interesting and not bad.

Alphonse had stopped wringing his hands in worry and now sat very still, anxious to hear the news about his brother. Hawkeye had stepped out to grab some coffee and a bagel and was therefore not present to hear the news.

"Mr. Elric has no physical injuries."

Well, that was to be expected. Roy had deduced as much last night just by looking at the boy.

"Get on with it, Doctor," he snapped. He was out of patience and wanted to know what was up with Fullmetal _now!_

"We found two injection marks on his left arm," the doctor said hurriedly. "The first injection has long since worn off and we don't know what it was, but it's out of his system."

"Brother went unconscious right after he was injected when we were fighting that woman," Al supplied.

"So the first one was probably just to knock him out," Roy said.

The doctor nodded. "We have no clue as to the effects of the second one though. We've never encountered anything like it. We took a blood sample and it's currently being analyzed, but so far all we have been able to figure out is that it affects the brain in some way."

"How is this _interesting _news? This is terrible! My brother been injected with some unknown drug and we have no idea how it is going to affect him when he wakes up!" Alphonse said, voice growing close to hysteria.

The doctor blanched, and took a step backwards. Roy got a feeling that worse was to come.

"W-well, that's n-n-not actually w-what was so interesting," the doctor stammered.

Roy fought hard to contain his composure. This doctor was just _trying _to make things difficult, wasn't he?

"Even though he was only given a small dosage, the effects look like they're going to be long-lasting, maybe even permanent."

Horrified silence ensued in the waiting room. Hawkeye chose that moment to walk in. Her eyes flickered between Roy, Alphonse, and the doctor. Her brow creased with worry. She didn't say anything though, and came to stand beside the colonel.

"We've sent a sample of it to the lab and they're currently working to find a counter to it. This may take a while though, since they don't know what it is that they are supposed to be countering," the doctor finally said.

Roy stood there, not saying anything. He suddenly felt anger swell up inside him. Who was that woman, to think she could just kidnap _his _subordinate and inject him with a foreign substance? She was going to pay.

But even stronger than his anger at the criminal was his worry for Fullmetal. Who knew what he would he be like when he woke up, if he even woke up at all?

A nurse suddenly came running up to the somber group. "Doctor, Edward Elric is awake," she said. Without another word, the entire group rushed over to Edward Elric's room.

* * *

Mustang stood just outside of Fullmetal's room with Hawkeye. Alphonse and the doctor had all but shoved them to the side in their haste to greet Edward. The colonel warily peeked in. Fullmetal was sitting up in bed, conversing with Al while the doctor examined him. Roy and Riza slipped into the room quietly.

"How are you feeling, Brother?" Alphonse asked timidly.

Edward rolled his eyes, looking completely like himself. "I'm fine Al. Seriously; there was no reason at all for me to come here! You worry too much."

Edward glanced around the room. When he caught sight of the colonel, a range of emotions played across his face. Happiness and joy quickly turned into confusion and anger, finally to be replaced with Fullmetal's usual irritated expression that said he would prefer it if the colonel wasn't present.

"Ah, look who decided to show up. Are you ready to get me out of here, Colonel Bastard?"

Roy studied his youngest subordinate; Fullmetal looked healthy enough to him. Still . . . it was better to be safe than sorry.

The doctor spoke up before he could say anything. "I advise that Edward stay here until further notice."

What the hell? Edward couldn't believe it. He felt perfectly fine, dammit! What made these people think he needed to stay in a damn hospital?!

He turned to Mustang, eyes pleading. If anyone could help him, Mustang could!

Wait a minute.

Edward wrenched his gaze away from Mustang and turned to glare at his own clenched fists. What in the world possessed him to think he could turn to Colonel _Bastard _of all people? Something was seriously wrong here.

Hmm, maybe being in Central was making him a bit crazy. That's right, the sooner he continued his search with Alphonse, the sooner his mind would return to normal.

Edward raised his head to glare at everyone in the room, but was shocked to find that the Colonel had crossed the room and was now in front of him.

"Fullmetal," he said, looking down at him, "I order you to stay here until the doctor sees fit to release you."

Was this some kind of sick joke? Ed glared at the Colonel, but those charcoal black eyes were unyielding.

It was a gaze that could easily be that of a stern parent – and it was directed at him!

Edward snarled, surprising everyone in the room. "Could someone at least tell me _why _they think it's necessary for me to be here?"

* * *

All eyes travelled to Roy, and he knew it was his responsibility to tell Fullmetal the bad news . . . or not. Edward would most certainly furious if he knew that they technically _didn't _know what was wrong with him.

But what was odd was that Edward wasn't asking any questions. Yes, he was asking to be released, but he had yet to mention his capture. Roy thought the boy would've been bursting to be released so he could go hunt down his crazy kidnapper. But his impatience was just the usual. Ed didn't have amnesia, did he?

"How much do you remember?"

Edward stopped glaring at this sudden question. He seemed confused. "Uh, I remember . . . everything?"

Alphonse looked like he was about to say something, but Roy silenced him with a look. Edward saw the exchange and his eyes narrowed in suspicion.

"There's something you're not telling me," he said slowly, looking around at everyone in the room.

The thirteen year old's fiery stare was very intimidating, and the doctor and nurse quickly scurried out of the room, leaving the situation to be resolved by the two soldiers and the suit of armour.

Making a quick decision – for good or for bad – the colonel launched into an explanation. "I sent you after a criminal who was using alchemy to steal from hardware stores. You and your brother engaged him in combat last night. You were close to apprehending him, but he had a surprise move and knocked you out. Alphonse quickly took action though, and he is now in custody."

Edward looked at Alphonse, who quickly nodded in confirmation.

Ed shrugged. "Well, if you say so. But that still doesn't explain why you want me to stay in this hellhole."

"Brother!" Al scolded.

Well, at least there were no medical personnel around to be offended by that comment.

Edward couldn't stay at the hospital without being notified of his condition, and he couldn't exactly be left to wander around when they didn't know how the drug would make him act. This was a dilemma indeed.

"Sir, might I suggest something?" Hawkeye spoke quietly, so as not to be heard over the sound of the now bickering brothers.

"Certainly Lieutenant, let's take this outside." The colonel and Hawkeye started walking out of the room.

"Hey, get back here!" Edward suddenly shouted. "You still haven't told me why I have to stay!"

Edward leaped out of his bed and was across the room in seconds. He stood in the doorway, blocking Mustang and Hawkeye's exit.

"I feel perfectly fine! You better tell me the truth right –"

Fullmetal never got to finish his demand as his knees suddenly buckled and he fell to the floor.

* * *

**Lest:** Oh so are you going to post a chapter every day?

**L.Q: **No . . . after this one, maybe every other day. It all depends on how fast I write.

**Lest: **The next one better be soon!

**L.Q: **. . . But you don't need to read the next one; you already know what happens. In fact, you know everything that I know . . .

**Lest: **I said it for the benefit of the readers!

**L.Q: **Ah, I see.

**Lest: **By the way, thank you so much to everyone who reviewed, favourited, followed, and read! I thought L.Q would pass out when she realized that someone actually bothered to click on her story.

**L.Q: **I thought I would pass out too. Reviews certainly make the world go 'round.


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: **L.Q does not own Fullmetal Alchemist

* * *

His arms and legs seemed to be incapable of moving. One second he was standing, the next he was like a puppet on the floor with its strings cut. Just great.

No one had even bothered to catch him either.

The colonel was by his side the second _after _he hit the floor. "Fullmetal?" he asked urgently.

A pleased feeling suddenly stole over Edward. If he wasn't mistaken, the colonel seemed to be _concerned _about him! It was nice to know that the colonel cared . . .

Urgh, he was doing it again.

Ed quickly derailed his train of thought, and proceeded to blow it to pieces.

"Brother!"

Al rushed to his side and picked him up gently. Ed could feel the cold metal against him. Okay, so he wasn't numb, but then why wouldn't his muscles obey him?! Was this the effect of hitting his head?

"I'm ok, Al." Ed looked up at his brother as he was carried back to his hospital bed. Funny, he could move his head around and talk, but couldn't move anything else. He was pretty much a limp noodle in this state.

Huh, noodle, that sounded familiar.

Once he was back on his bed, Al was on him in a flash. "See, Brother? You need to rest! You're always running around everywhere but you neglect what's most important – your health!"

Edward tuned out Al's lecture and looked over at the colonel, who was now standing there with a knowing look on his face. Ed resisted the urge to stick his tongue out at him.

"Alright there, Fullmetal?" Seeming to have forgotten about his desire to talk with Hawkeye, Mustang strolled to the side of his bed and looked down at him.

With both Al and Mustang looming over him, Ed felt more than a little small – which he _wasn't _dammit!

"I can't move," he answered honestly.

Mustang frowned, but he didn't seem overly shocked. If Ed didn't know better, he would've thought that Mustang had been _expecting _something like this to happen.

The colonel nodded once, appearing to be deep in thought. Without another word, he turned on his heel and strode out of the room with Hawkeye, ignoring Ed's protests.

* * *

"Sir, I do not think it was a wise decision to hide the truth from Edward," Hawkeye said without preamble as soon as they had reached the waiting room.

Roy felt a twinge of guilt, but he pushed it down. "It's for his own good," he said. "We all know that the first thing Fullmetal would do is run off to find his captor, but he's obviously in no state to do that."

"I don't know for sure," he continued, "but it looks like the signals from his brain are being cut off from reaching certain parts of his body, leaving him unable to move, and therefore vulnerable."

Hawkeye nodded in understanding. "I guess he'll have to stay here, then."

"Not necessarily," Mustang said. "It's been in his system for a while now; if he was permanently paralyzed he wouldn't have been able to get out of bed at all in the first place."

Mustang frowned. The woman they were dealing was definitely cunning, and therefore dangerous.

"I think that the paralysis will just be on and off for Edward," he announced.

Hawkeye looked worried. "Then Edward needs someone to protect him since he's basically out of commission in this condition."

It was true. With Ed's memory seemingly gone, he wouldn't be able to recognize the woman if she should try to attack him again. And not being able to rely on his mobility, there would be times when he wouldn't be able to defend himself against _anyone _who wanted to do him harm, which was many, seeing as he was a state alchemist of the military and enemies just came naturally with the job.

Now that he thought about it, Ed needed someone to take care of him regardless of him being in the military or not. People who were paralyzed from the neck down needed people to help them in their daily lives.

Hmm, who could he assign to be Fullmetal's nanny?

"Sir."

One word was all it took for Mustang to get a sinking feeling deep in the pit of his stomach. He had a feeling he would not like what Hawkeye was about to say.

* * *

_"NO."_

Edward stared at the man in disgusted horror. This had to be some kind of sick joke. No way in hell would he willingly stay with Mustang for longer than the time it took to insult him and receive a new mission.

No, he was not happy at all about the prospect of staying with Mustang 24/7, not happy at all . . . right?

Ed had (somehow) regained control of his limbs and was now sitting up in bed. Alphonse was looking worriedly between Edward and Mustang. Edward was glaring daggers at Mustang, who just stared back with a cool gaze.

"It's the most logical course of action to take in this situation Ed," Hawkeye said, trying to be soothing.

Edward's eye twitched; he was getting pretty fed up about not knowing the extent of his condition, and it didn't help that he was _still _in the damn hospital!"

"What exactly _is _the situation?" he asked, trying to be as calm as possible. Mustang would've been a bloody mess on the floor by now if he didn't have Hawkeye protecting him.

"Fullmetal," Mustang said, "You have taken a blow to the head and are now experiencing episodes of paralysis. Until these episodes stop and you are fully recovered, you will be under my protection."

He smirked. "I would hate to have to do the paperwork that comes along with the death of a subordinate just because you couldn't clap your hands to defend yourself."

Edward was about to protest, but Al piped up.

"Brother," he said, "I would worry a lot less if I knew you were with the colonel. I can continue researching in the library; I'll also look into some medical texts while I'm there."

Ed sighed. He could never argue against his brother. If staying with Colonel Bastard would make Al feel better, then he would do it.

He puffed out some air and his bangs lifted up for a second. "Fine," he said sullenly. "But only because you want me to, Al!"

Everyone seemed to breathe out a sigh of relief. Edward glared suspiciously at them all; they were hiding something, and he would figure out what.

* * *

Edward stared up at the house. He had to admit, it wasn't half bad. It was upper-middle class, which seemed to suit the colonel just fine. There was a neat lawn (and probably a big backyard), and a military issued car parked in the driveway. Ed wondered why the colonel had Hawkeye drive him around everywhere when he had his own car.

He lifted his suitcase as Hawkeye drove away (having just dropped them off) and followed Mustang into the house.

The inside of the house was just as pleasant as the outside. Mustang didn't content himself with just the bare minimum, but he didn't flaunt his wealth either. It was right in the middle. In other words, the house was very comfy and a bit luxurious but still somehow modest.

Mustang showed him the kitchen/dining room, and the sitting room on the first floor. To Ed's delight, he _did_ have a spacious backyard, which was perfect for working out.

"All the rooms are on the second floor," Mustang said as they climbed the stairs. "This is my room," he gestured to a door. "You can have that room," he pointed to a room further down the hall. "And the bathroom is over there."

With the conclusion to the brief tour of the house, Mustang headed to his room. "I'm going to change," he said. "Go unpack your suitcase and settle in."

Hmph. They weren't even working, and the colonel was s_till _ordering him around! Grumbling, Edward walked into his room. The walls were white – but did not resemble a hospital – and a bed was in a corner, with light blue sheets. There was a desk by a window, and a dresser.

Ed plunked his suitcase on top of his bed, opened it, and emptied it of his clothes and personal possessions. It didn't take long to find a place for everything; he always travelled light. After placing his suitcase in the closet, he headed downstairs to find Mustang in the kitchen.

"You can _cook?_"

Mustang turned away from the stove. He wore a black apron over black jeans and a navy polo shirt. It was strange to see Mustang out of uniform. Hmm, he was a bit slimmer than Ed had thought.

"Yes, I can cook. I don't you about you, Fullmetal, but _I _need to eat." Mustang rolled his eyes and turned back to the stove.

Edward felt a burst of annoyance. "Ed," he said, plopping into a chair by the counter. "Call me Ed, not Fullmetal."

There was a pause before Mustang replied, "Whatever you say, _Ed._"

Ed smiled at the colonel's back. He didn't know why, but it was nice to hear the colonel call him by his name.

* * *

Roy looked down at his work, satisfied. Al had told him all about Fullmetal's – no, _Ed's_ – humongous appetite, and he was confident that he had made enough to satisfy the bottomless pit that was Edward's stomach.

"Edward!" he called, wiping his hands on his apron, "Dinner's ready!"

Ed had wandered out of the kitchen a while ago, and if Roy had to guess where he was now, he would say the boy was in the living room, reading Roy's alchemy books.

He took off his apron and folded it neatly, putting it back in its proper place. No, he wasn't a neat freak; he just liked knowing where everything in his house was at any given moment, and the best way to remember where they were was to put them back in the same place every time.

Roy walked into the living room. "Edward?"

To say Roy was surprised would be an understatement. Ed had been in the living room for what, forty five minutes? And already he looked like he had been living there for days.

The youth was sprawled out on the floor, with books towering over him like a fortress. He was engrossed in a book, and was flipping the pages at a rapid pace. How Ed could possibly be reading the words at this rate was a mystery to Roy.

"Edward," Roy said as he crouched down beside the blond.

Edward didn't look up or acknowledge him in any way. Could he even hear him? Roy sighed and shook his head, but he was impressed by the focus Ed had. He really wouldn't let anything distract him from his goal, even if the goal was to read and the distractions were background noises at the moment.

Roy leaned forward and yanked the book out of Ed's hands. Ed was perfectly motionless for a second before he registered that he was no longer holding the book. He blinked and twisted his head around to look up at Roy.

"Dinner's ready," Roy said. "But before we eat, you have to put all these books back."

Edward stood up and stretched. "You've got some interesting books, Colonel," was all he said before he bent down and picked up an armful of books. He had practically emptied the large wood shelf in the living room, so Roy headed back to the dining room to wait for his subordinate.

He was just setting the table when he heard a loud thump and the unmistakable sound of books tumbling to the ground, followed by swearing. Roy dashed back to the living room, ready to laugh at Ed's clumsiness, but what he saw wiped the almost smile off his face.

Ed was lying in what looked like an uncomfortable position on his side. He was completely motionless and half covered by books.

Roy rushed over to Ed. He swept the books off him and turned him onto his back. He was surprised to see a bruise blossoming beneath Ed's left eye.

"Don't touch me!"

Roy lifted his hands away from the boy's face and sat back on his heels. The magnitude of the situation finally hit him. Ed was in a dangerous situation. Roy didn't know if the bouts of immobility were scheduled or random, but either way they were very dangerous. What if Ed fell down while he was in the shower, or while coming down the stairs?

He had gotten injured just by putting books away!

"Are you alright?" Roy looked Ed over. Apart from the bruise, he seemed to be okay.

"Just peachy." Ed scowled at him.

Roy ignored the death glare he was receiving and scooped Edward into his arms bridal style.

"Put me down right now, Colonel!"

Ed squirmed, but the extent of this was just him shaking his head from side to side. It was pathetic, really.

"I can't just leave my guest on the floor, can I?" Roy said. "Unless, of course, you prefer it down there, seeing as how you're so used to it by now."

"AARGH! WHO ARE YOU CALLING A TINY LITTLE PIPSQUEAK?!"

Ed yelled as loud as he could, but the effect was ruined because he was lying so placidly in the colonel's arms.

Roy set him down gently on the couch. "Comfy?" he asked.

Edward just muttered and turned his head away.

"I'll get you some ice." Mustang quickly went back to the kitchen, leaving Ed lying on the couch with his bangs shadowing his face.

* * *

This was _horrible. _It was the second time in a single day that he was completely helpless, and he hated it.

He watched Mustang hurry away from the corner of his eye. He could feel a throbbing pain on his face where the corner of a thick tome had hit him, but it didn't bother him much. What bothered him was that he was _vulnerable_, in front of Mustang, of all people.

And what _really_ bothered him was the fact that he didn't really mind it.

Oh, how he wished he could just get up, find Al, and continue his search for the Philosophers stone. Yes, it was a hard life, but it had a sense of normality for him that he didn't have when thinking about Mustang right now.

Hmm, best not to think about him at all, then.

Mustang returned holding an ice pack. He seemed to consider Ed for a moment, then shrugged and kneeled down beside him. He pressed the ice pack gently against Ed's face.

Ed would've been lying if he said the ice didn't feel good, so he decided to allow the colonel the privilege of treating his face.

The colonel didn't make any conversation, and Edward didn't see a need to either. He closed his eyes in contentment and let the cooling ice soothe his face.

A thought suddenly came to him and he frowned slightly. How long did this last for? Not more than half an hour, he hoped. In this condition, he wasn't able to eat dinner! What a shame. Oh well, he was more tired than hungry, anyway. He would rest while he waited for it to wear off.

Ed fell asleep with Mustang leaning over him, looking down at him worriedly.

* * *

**Lest: **Hmm, I don't have anything to say this time.

**L.Q:** Well, I do. Thank-you _so much _everyone for the support you've given this story so far. Only other writers on this site can relate when I say I get _elated _when I see a new review, or find out that my story has followers, or that people have put it on their favourite list.

**Lest: **Ok, ok, enough of that!

**L.Q: **Says the person who doesn't write.

**Lest: **Whatever. Till next time!


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: **L.Q does not own Fullmetal Alchemist.

* * *

Edward was awakened from his sleep when sunlight hit his eyelids. He groaned in protest and buried his head underneath his pillow.

"Al, can you get the blinds?" he mumbled.

The lack of response made Ed remember where he was. He snapped his eyes open and sat up on his bed.

Wait, his _bed?_

He knew for a fact that he fell asleep on the couch last night. This meant . . . dammit, the colonel had carried him upstairs and tucked him in bed like a child!

Ed wanted to be angry, but if he thought about it, it was better this way. Who knew if he would've recovered enough to climb up the stairs on his own? At least Mustang had spared him the humiliation of being carried while he was conscious.

Not that being carried while he was _sleeping _was that much better.

Ed kicked the blanket off of him and swung his legs over the edge of the bed. He was pleased to see that Mustang hadn't dared touch his clothes.

Yawning, he stretched his arms above his head, and then walked out of his room. Mustang didn't seem to be awake yet, which meant he got first dibs on the bathroom!

He dashed into the bathroom and quickly shut the door behind him. He caught sight of his reflection in the mirror. The bruise under his eye didn't look too bad, thanks to Mustang's quick treatment of it.

Ed stripped and stepped into the shower. The hot water was glorious. He considered just standing there to waste all of it, but he reconsidered and thought _not _leaving Mustang an ice cold shower was a great way to thank him for treating his bruise.

When he was done, he stepped out of the shower and dried himself. He wrapped a towel around his waist and opened the bathroom door to find – Mustang.

He was sitting on the floor with his knees up to his chest and his back against the wall. Ed looked – down! – at Mustang.

He was now wearing a white short-sleeved cotton shirt and sweatpants.

Which was more decent than the single towel Ed was wearing.

"What the hell are you are you doing there?!" Ed spluttered, folding his arms across his chest.

Mustang raised a single eyebrow as he climbed to his feet. "What does it look like? I was simply waiting for you to get out of the bathroom."

"I doubt it."

Mustang smirked as he stepped into the washroom. "Doubt all you want; when you have to go, you have to go," he said as he closed the door behind him.

Ed's glare dropped as soon as the door closed. He was willing to admit to himself that he was touched by Mustang's concern, but this – this was just _hovering. _If Mustang tried to act like some kind of overbearing father, he would have no choice but to give him a good punch to the face, for his own sake as well.

With that in mind, he returned to his room to put on some clothes.

* * *

"Do you have any plans for today?" Mustang looked at Edward over his plate of bacon and eggs. Ed shrugged, and continued stuffing his face. The boy must've been starving, having not eaten anything the previous night.

"I'm going to spend today at the library with Al," Ed replied, his mouth full. "By the way, did he call yesterday after I . . . fell asleep?"

Mustang thought about it. Yes, Al did call, but the call was regarding his progress on tracking down the unknown woman. He was working with Hughes and his investigation team, and was going to be reviewing information with them today.

Which meant Mustang had to keep Ed busy.

"Yes, Alphonse did call yesterday," he said, trying to think of something on the fly. "He said he remembered a particular medical book that may be helpful. It's in the library in East City, so he took the first train there. He called to say good-bye, but I didn't want to wake you."

Mustang held his breath, hoping Ed would buy his explanation. Ed frowned down at his plate, thinking.

"Okay. I'll just go to the library by myself then," he finally said.

Damn. Edward was not supposed to go to the library; Al had mentioned going there today, and he didn't want Ed to bump into him when he was supposedly on his way to East City.

"I don't think so," Roy said. "I'm supposed to watch you, and I do not feel like watching you waste a perfectly good Saturday holed up in the library."

Ed scowled. "What do you propose we do then?"

"Well, what's your idea of a good time?"

* * *

Edward stared at Mustang. What _was_ his idea of a good time? He couldn't remember the last time he had done something purely for the fun of it, unless insulting Mustang and ticking off crooks counted.

He didn't have time for fun. Why would he? His brother was trapped in an unfeeling suit of armour, and every minute Ed wasted doing things as simple as eating and sleeping, much less having_ fun, _was a minute taken away from Al's life.

He didn't have time for fun, but there was always time for research.

Ed couldn't even _think_ about letting up on his research. He owed at least that much to his brother. If he didn't have any leads on the Philosophers stone, then he should be perfecting his alchemy and combat skills. He should only be focusing on things that he could use to help his brother. Wasting time chasing after mindless entertainment was not helping his brother.

He was appalled at Mustang for even suggesting he waste this perfect Saturday doing anything _but _something productive.

"My idea of good time is working out," Ed finally said. It wasn't a lie; working out was always a win-win thing to do. "I especially like to spar."

The thought of 'accidentally' giving Mustang a black eye in a sparring match brought a wicked smile to Ed's face.

"Would you care to join me?" he asked Mustang.

"I don't think so."

Ed's fantasy was immediately blown to smithereens. He opened his mouth to protest, but Mustang beat him to it.

"I don't like the look on your face, and I don't think _attempting _to beat people up is a healthy thing for a teenage boy to enjoy." Mustang pushed his chair back, got up, and put his plate in the sink. "I think we'll just go for a walk."

Ed scowled.

* * *

It was a nice day outside. The sun shone brightly, and a few clouds were strung across the sky like wisps of cotton candy. The trees lining the sidewalk swayed gently in the light breeze.

"It's a beautiful day today."

"Yup, sure is."

"I spend so many of these days inside the office; it's nice to finally be out and about for once."

Ed didn't even bother giving the colonel a reply. To be honest though, he liked to be out on these kinds of days too. They were perfect for when he was travelling on the road with Alphonse.

Their walk soon brought them to a park, where there were tons of people. There seemed to be some sort of special event going on. Ed tiptoed and saw a large stage set up on the grass. Music blasted out of large speakers and a man was singing his heart out on the stage. Various attractions were scattered throughout the park and vendors dotted the park here and there, selling fried foods and treats. A little girl ran past them, holding pink cotton candy and a balloon in one hand.

"What's all this?" Ed looked up at Mustang, who was surveying the scene with a critical eye.

"It's called a travelling fair, Edward," Mustang said. "Haven't you ever heard of one?"

"Tch, I know what a fair is!"

"Then you should know that fairs are a great place to spend the day." Without another word, Mustang strode into the crowd, leaving Edward to follow reluctantly behind him.

* * *

Ed followed Mustang through the park, who stopped every once in a while to look at an attraction. Ed wasn't really interested, and still had his mind on research. He didn't understand why Mustang would rather be here than at the library. Even though the man wasn't desperately searching for something that may or may not be a myth, he could still learn something from being around all those books, right?

Out of the corner of his eye, Ed caught sight of something that made him stop his grumbling. With a fleeting glance at Mustang's back, he left the man and merged into a small crowd that was watching a juggling clown.

The clown was smiling widely and tossing red balls into the air. With grass under his feet and a light breeze in the air, memories from Resembool were suddenly blown into Ed's mind.

He remembered a fair that he had once gone to with Winry and Al when they were children. Winry had made them all stop to watch a clown similar to this one. Ed remembered watching fascinated as the clown threw the balls into the air one after the other. Even as a child, he had been more interested in the physics behind it than the actual spectacle of it.

The first five seconds of it had been amazing, but then Al had decided he was scared by the clown's makeup and started crying. Ed had never really liked clowns after that.

The memory brought a frown to Ed's face. The clown finished his juggling act and came up to Edward. He took some balloons out of nowhere, blew them up, and then quickly twisted them into a hat. He placed it on Ed's head with a goofy smile.

Ed was just about to tell him off for treating him like a child, but Mustang was suddenly at his side. Ed looked up and opened his mouth, ready to defend himself against the smirking Bastard, only to find that . . . Mustang wasn't smirking. The colonel had a strange expression on his face. It looked like he was both happy and sad.

Hmm, maybe he had a similar memory concerning clowns.

"Don't wander off without me, Edward," Mustang said softly as they watched the clown go back to performing his tricks.

"Whatever," Ed replied. He didn't need anyone looking out for him, especially someone like Mustang! He was definitely strong enough to look after himself; hadn't he proved that by now? Adults only got in the way these days; he didn't _want _anyone trying to baby him.

Regardless of how good it felt.

Ed sneaked a glance at Mustang, who was watching the clown impassively. He hadn't commented on his balloon hat yet, so Ed decided that it was okay to leave it on for the time being. They continued to watch the clown for a while, until Mustang decided that it was time to move on.

The pair walked through the fair in silence. Ed looked down at the ground. Why was he here, again?

Ed suddenly realized that Mustang wasn't with him anymore. The nerve of that guy! He tells Ed not to wander off and then goes and does it himself barely five minutes later!

Ed stopped his mental ranting and shrugged. He didn't really care. He should be _glad _the bastard had left him; but the feeling of disappoint that ran through him told him that he felt otherwise.

Something pink and fluffy suddenly obscured his vision. Ed backed up a bit, and was surprised to see Mustang holding cotton candy out to him.

"A vendor was selling some back there," Mustang said by way of explanation. "I thought you might like some."

Ed stared at him incredulously.

"It's not poisoned, Edward." Mustang grabbed his left hand and wrapped his fingers around the stick extending from the mass of pink fluff.

"Unless you count sugar as poison, that is."

Edward didn't say anything and looked at the candy in wonder. He had never had cotton candy before. His mother had never let him and Al buy some, and he had never gone out of his way to buy some on his travels with Al, seeing as they were always busy fighting for their lives and making breakthroughs in their research.

But Mustang had just come along and handed him some, so it would be a shame not to try it now. And since when did he ever turn down free food?

Ed opened his mouth wide and took a huge bite out of the cotton candy. After a few seconds of contemplation on the taste – it was better than he had ever imagined it to be – he grinned up at Mustang.

"Thanks, Mustang"

Mustang raised his eyebrows slightly, but replied nonetheless. "You're welcome, Ed."

Ed enjoyed the fair after that. He pointed at attractions and mooched money off of Mustang to play games and win prizes. After successfully knocking down all the bottles with a ball, he was presented with an array of stuffed animals to choose from.

A large, fluffy cat beckoned to him. It was rather cute and he immediately thought of Al. He sneaked a side glance at Mustang, who was looking the other way.

The man hadn't said anything about his hat and had bought him cotton candy. He had even given Ed money to play the game, knowing that Ed would probably win and be offered a prize.

He was pretty sure that Mustang wouldn't look down on him _too_ muchif he got a giant stuffed kitty.

Ed quickly pointed out what he wanted and soon he was using both his arms to hold the stuffy to his chest.

"It's for Alphonse," he said quickly when he saw the corners of Mustang's mouth twitch upwards.

The fair had a Ferris wheel, and Ed looked up at it in awe. It would be amazing to look over the whole fair from the top . . .

"Do you want to go on, Ed?"

Ed looked at Mustang. He was munching on a hotdog and holding a bag full of sweets. (They belonged to Ed, but he had given them to Mustang a while ago for him to hold.)

"It'll be a view like you've never seen before."

"Are you saying I'm short?!"

"_Nobody_ is as tall as a Ferris wheel; it will be a fantastic view for me too."

". . . Fine."

Mustang led the way to the lineup, but Edward was excited to go on as well. They had never been able to bring Ferris wheels all the way to Resembool during fairs, so he was looking forward to another new experience.

The assistant smiled down at Edward as he climbed into the carriage after Mustang. "Going on a ride with your father, eh? It's a lovely day for it."

Ed felt his eyebrow twitch. How could this girl think they were family? He and Mustang looked nothing like each other! Before he could set things straight, the door was closed and the carriage started moving.

Mustang was sitting there impassively, so Edward couldn't tell what he thought of the comment. A fleeting thought of his own father crossed his mind and he hoped Mustang wasn't too offended by being mistaken for his dad.

Soon enough all the carriages were filled and the Ferris wheel began to move in a continuous circle. Ed was amazed at the view when they reached the top. He could see the entire fair! He could even see where the gigantic park ended and where the streets and buildings began. If he squinted, he could even see Mustang's house.

"The view is just as good when you're looking at it from inside the carriage, you know."

Ed scowled at Mustang, who was taking in the view while still staying in his seat. He reluctantly pulled his head back inside the carriage and forced himself to sit down.

"Bastard," he mumbled.

Mustang gave a small chuckle.

Ed looked at him from the corner of his eye. What was wrong with Mustang? He had been acting suspiciously like a human being today. Hmm . . . maybe he only turned into a bastard when he was at work!

That would definitely explain a lot.

Ed went back to looking out the window. Al would've loved this. He'd definitely have to bring Al on a Ferris wheel one of these days. But would Al even be able to fit in the carriage?

Edward tore his gaze away from the view outside and calculated the dimensions of the carriage. Yes, Al would fit, but it would be a tight fit.

Of course, size and weight wouldn't have been a problem if Al had his own body . . .

"Edward, can you see HQ from here?"

Ed blinked in surprise as he was torn from his thoughts. Mustang was staring at him intently. Why did he ask _him? _He could just look out the window and see for himself!

"You can only see the military headquarters through your window; mine is facing in the opposite direction," Mustang said.

"Fine, lazy bastard." Ed grumbled to himself and twisted around in his seat to look in the direction of HQ.

It was nowhere in sight.

"Not only are you a bastard, but you're an idiot as well; HQ isn't anywhere near here!"

It was true; Mustang's house was in between headquarters and the park. They were all the way at the park and the Ferris wheel wasn't _that _high up.

After trading insults inside the carriage, Ed ended up leaving the fair in high spirits, with all depressing thoughts of Al out of his mind.

* * *

Alphonse looked at the pictures and sighed in frustration.

"It was dark and I couldn't get a good look at her face. She could be any one of these women, or none of them!"

Hughes sighed and took off his glasses. He rubbed a hand over his face, massaging his eyes.

"Then we don't have much to go on. We might just have to wait until she strikes again."

Al could only sit there in resignation and hope that his brother would be alright.

* * *

_"You still want dinner?"_

Roy looked at his charge incredulously. Where did Edward put all his food? And didn't he have a spoiled appetite from all the junk he ate at the fair?

Ed looked at him. "What? Did you think I would pass up _any _chance to mooch free food off of you? Besides, I didn't get to eat dinner yesterday."

Roy rolled his eyes and headed to the kitchen.

* * *

Edward headed up the stairs to his room with a full belly. Boy did Mustang know how to cook! He had thought for sure that the pyromaniac was only capable of burning food, but he had been pleasantly surprised today.

Ed stepped into his room and placed his - _Al's _- stuffed cat on the floor beside his bed. He fell onto his bed with a contented sigh and crossed his arms behind his head.

He hadn't done any research today or learned anything (aside from the fact that Mustang liked hot-dogs, was a good cook, and wasn't ashamed to go on a Ferris wheel), but he had still had fun.

Maybe spending days like today just having fun wasn't such a bad thing after all. All he needed for everything to be perfect was the addition of Al.

Ed smiled to himself just thinking about it, but soon furrowed his brows in confusion. Didn't he need to subtract Mustang from the equation for everything to be perfect?

Yes, yes he did. Just he and Al would be fine; they didn't need Mustang.

Ed flipped over and buried his face in the pillow. Why had he even bothered to include the bastard in the first place?

* * *

**L.Q: **Hmm . . . I think the ending is a bit messed up.

**Lest: **Only because you wrote it, like, right before you posted it!

**L.Q: **It's called last minute inspiration!

**Lest: **If you say so.

**L.Q: **Thank you so much for the reviews everyone! I can't believe I got 30 for 3 chapters!

**Lest: **Yeah, keep 'em coming, guys!


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: L.Q does not own Fullmetal Alchemist.**

* * *

Roy opened the bedroom door and crept into the room quietly. His charge was still asleep, golden hair splayed over the pillow and breathing slow and even. Ed's face looked peaceful, more peaceful then it ever did when he was awake.

He looked just like a child.

Roy took a moment to bask in the innocent beauty Fullmetal had when he was asleep, before sighing deeply. He grabbed a pillow off the floor and launched it at Ed's face.

"Wake up, sleeping beauty!" Roy gave a small smirk as Ed groaned and buried his head beneath his pillow.

"We're going grocery shopping today," Roy said. "I expect you to be downstairs in fifteen minutes."

Roy left the room to the sound of muffled cursing.

* * *

Edward rolled off the bed with a groan. Was Mustang going to bug him _again_ today? Why the hell did he need to accompany the bastard to go grocery shopping?

He couldn't even remember the last time he had been grocery shopping . . .

Ed shook his head and went through his usual morning routine. He was pleased to see that Mustang was no longer a _complete _stalker as he stepped out of the washroom and found the hallway devoid of the snapping pyromaniac.

Ed stomped down the stairs and entered the kitchen just in time to see Mustang getting off the phone.

"Who was that?" Ed asked, plopping down into a seat. He was mainly asking out of curiosity; he didn't care who Mustang talked to in his spare time.

"Hughes," Mustang said, turning to the counter and grabbing a plate full of food, before setting it down in front of Edward.

"Say no more, Mustang." Ed started shovelling food into his mouth. "I don't want to hear about anything having to do with that crazy family man."

"Don't talk with food in your mouth."

A painful twinge shot through Edward. How many times had his mother said that to him? How many times had Alphonse said it? Maybe he really shouldn't talk with food in his mouth, if he wanted people to stay.

Not that he wanted Mustang to stay.

Edward growled softly, and finished the rest of his food without saying anything else.

* * *

Edward sighed as he followed Mustang through the grocery store. He had forgotten how _boring _shopping could be. Shopping with Mustang was better than shopping with Winry though; Mustang didn't fangirl over every item and he was paying for everything he put in the cart himself.

Still . . . even though it was boring, he had to admit that maybe he enjoyed it . . . just a little bit though.

Ed scanned the shelves around him. He spotted a package of chocolate chip cookies on a shelf. He snagged them and quickened his pace until he was walking right beside Mustang. Ed reached over and casually placed the cookies with the rest of the items in the cart.

"Put them back Edward."

Edward pouted. "C'mon, they're just a few measly cookies!"

"Exactly." Mustang stopped to examine a can of pasta sauce. "We can make much better cookies at home."

Edward blinked. Did Mustang just say they were going to bake cookies? The only person he could remember saying that to him was . . . his mom. But Mustang wasn't his mom! He sure as hell wasn't his father either.

So . . . what was he, exactly?

Ed shook his head rapidly; there was no need to dwell on such things right now. All he had to focus on right now was the fact that he was going to be getting some cookies.

"You're just full of surprises, you bastard."

"Thank you Edward, I do try, after all."

* * *

"Put this on."

Mustang handed Ed an apron. Why he owned a spare Ed didn't even know. He shrugged and put it on, reaching behind him to tie the string around his waist.

"Now, wash your hands."

"Gosh Mustang, I know the basics of being in a kitchen!" Ed turned towards the facet and held his hands underneath the running water. "I've made cookies before too."

"Oh yeah?" Mustang rifled through his kitchen, pulling out bowls, mixing spoons, and measuring cups. "Who did you make cookies with?"

"Mom."

Ed's memory of the day was a bit hazy, but he remembered that both he and Al ended up covered in flour from head to toe. The cookies had been delicious though.

Ed briefly wondered why Mustang was taking the time to do this now. Didn't he have anything better to do on his weekends?

Hmm . . . his weekends were probably normally filled with women. Ed shuddered, suddenly grateful that Mustang had dropped all of his dates to be with him. Sure, the bastard probably didn't have a choice . . . but still.

"I need a cup of brown sugar and half a cup of white sugar."

"Got it." Ed started digging through the cupboards. He swiped a measuring cup off the counter and poured both sugars into a bowl. Mustang added a cup of butter to the bowl and preheated the oven.

He handed Ed a spatula. "Go ahead and mix it," he said.

Ed held the bowl in one arm and started whisking furiously with his right hand.

"Cheater," Mustang muttered as he opened the fridge.

Ed just stuck his tongue out.

* * *

Roy straightened up with two eggs in his hand. "Pass me the bowl."

Edward stopped mixing and slid the bowl across the counter towards him. Mustang beat in the eggs one at a time as Ed looked down at the recipe.

He didn't even need to ask before Ed was beside him with two teaspoons of vanilla. Roy placed the bowl in front of Edward and decided to sit back and let the teen take over.

He watched in mild amusement as Ed added the flour, baking soda, and salt. The thirteen year-old measured each amount out with precision, and had his brows furrowed in concentration.

Ed was so cute.

Roy's eyes widened with this realization. He had just called his youngest subordinate cute!

And it was true, with the apron on and his nose scrunched up, Roy could imagine the teen to be a few years younger.

He couldn't help himself. Mustang walked up to Edward and ruffled his hair playfully.

Ed grumbled and swatted his hand away. "What the hell, Colonel?"

Oops. If Roy remembered correctly, Ed didn't like to be touched. He backed off the boy quickly. Verbal teasing was one thing, but if the teen really didn't like physical teasing then Mustang would have to respect that. He didn't want Ed murdering him in his sleep.

"Here."

To cover up what he just did, he thrust a package of dark chocolate chips into Ed's hands. He didn't think Ed would've appreciated it if he had gotten milk chocolate chips.

Ed's face lit up and he seemed to forget all about Mustang's invasion of his personal space. He ripped the package open with his bare hands and proceeded to dump the entire content into the bowl.

All thoughts of Ed being a serious baker quickly left Roy's mind.

"The recipe says for _one cup _of chocolate chips, not the whole package!"

Ed grinned at him devilishly as he mixed the chocolate chips in. "So? You know there are never enough chocolate chips in the cookies. Besides, this recipe makes four dozen, so I think a whole package is just enough."

Mustang rolled his eyes. Who knew Ed could be so childish? But then again, he _was _technically a kid.

"If you say so, Edward." Mustang grabbed a baking tray and oiled it lightly. He pulled a small ice-cream scooper out of a drawer and handed it to Ed.

"Use this to scoop the dough," he said.

"Huh," Ed said, taking it. "This is interesting."

"People normally use two spoons, but it's much easier and efficient to use this. We can make perfect cookies this way."

Ed smirked as he began scooping up the dough and effortlessly placing perfect balls on the tray. "If only your perfectionist streak existed at work, Mustang!"

"If only."

* * *

The cookies were delicious. Soft, chocolatey, and warm, Edward was in a state of bliss. He hadn't enjoyed fresh-baked cookies in such a long while. There was nobody to tell him not to eat them straight off the tray, either. He popped one cookie after another into his mouth and munched happily, sitting at the table.

Mustang nibbled delicately on his cookie. He was leaning against the counter, ready to pull the next batch of cookies out of the oven when the timer went off.

"So, do you agree that these are much better than the one's you can buy at the store?"

Ed finished chewing and swallowed before answering. "Definitely." He grabbed another cookie. "Now I know that I can just drop by your place whenever I want cookies!"

It was weird. He was sitting in the kitchen of his superior officer, munching on cookies that they had just baked, and yet it felt completely natural. Add Alphonse to the picture and they could be considered one happy family.

Edward blanched and stopped mid-chew. The cookie in his mouth suddenly tasted disgusting. What the hell was he doing? Going to fairs and baking cookies with Colonel _Bastard _was definitely not normal! And why was his head suddenly full of mushy thoughts about family? Mustang was _only _his superior. A heartless, cold-blooded killer who loved messing with women and pushing other people's buttons!

Ed swallowed the crap in his mouth with difficulty, and put the rest of his cookie down on his plate. He needed to get away from Mustang, right now. Maybe he could find a nice rooftop to sit down on to clear his head and set his priorities straight. This was his third day with the man and he was already going crazy!

Edward stood up, the legs of his chair scraping against the tile floor loudly. Mustang looked over at him.

"Sick of the cookies already? I told you that it was too much choc – "

"I'm sick of _you, _Mustang!" Edward lashed out. He dashed to the kitchen doorway and glared back at Mustang. "Just stay away from me! I don't need you messing with my head!"

He ran to the front door and shoved his feet into his boots.

"Stay right where you are, Fullmetal!" Mustang's authoritative voice rang through the house. Even though he was standing there in an apron with oven mitts on his hands, he looked no less intimidating.

Edward froze with his hand on the doorknob. Mustang stalked over to him, pulling off his oven mitts and apron as he neared the young alchemist. Edward wasn't going to wait though. With one last fleeting glance, he quickly slipped through the door and took off down the street.

* * *

The sound of his shoes hitting the pavement filled Edward's ears as he ran down the street. All the cookies he had gobbled certainly weren't doing him any favours now, but there was no way he was going to let Mustang catch him. He could faintly hear Mustang's rapid footsteps behind him, but it was too late; he already had a fatal head start.

He pumped his arms and willed his legs to move faster, to take him away from the bastard, and away from all his jumbled thoughts and foolish half-recognized hopes.

Ed heard Mustang call out behind him, but he just ran faster. Why was the bastard still chasing him? Why didn't he just give up?

Truth knew that Ed wasn't something worth fighting for.

His breath started coming in short gasps and Edward was surprised to find moisture gathering in his eyes. Was he going to _cry? _

Hell no!

If automail surgery couldn't reduce to him to a blubbering mess, then Mustang couldn't either. And Mustang was no one special, he was just a bastard.

Just a bastard.

Edward ran on. He didn't know where he was going, but it didn't matter. Anywhere was fine, as long as Mustang wasn't there. Soon he could no longer hear Mustang in the distance. His footsteps had faded away a while ago.

That was good.

Edward slowed his pace to a tired walk. He paid no attention to the people around him, lost in his own thoughts.

Ed knew he would have to go back at some point. Yes, he could go to his dorm room, but that wasn't a discreet place to hide. And though he bowed to no authority, he had told Alphonse that he would stay with Mustang, so stay he would.

Edward stopped walking and pulled himself onto a high wall. It wasn't a roof, but it would do. He contented himself with just sitting there, watching people go by. He swung his legs back and forth, kicking his heels against the brick wall.

What the hell was Mustang's problem? And come to think of it, what the hell was _his _problem? Was he suffering from some sort of brain damage from being hit in the head?

Edward stopped swinging his legs. As alarming as it sounded, brain damage was a very reasonable, logical explanation for the way he was thinking.

Brain damage, the air in Central, being in the presence of Mustang, all of them were messing with him, dammit!

But of course, in the end he had no one to blame but himself. It was his fault for not being strong enough to resist. Where was his unshakable will power? Ed bent over and rested his head in his hands.

He wasn't strong. Ed was weak. He wasn't even strong enough to save his own brother, and had instead condemned him to a life worse than death. He was a fool, a moron, an idiot, a monster – a pathetic excuse for a human being.

And he was stupid. Stupid, stupid, _stupid!_

A sense of vertigo suddenly overcame Edward and his eyes widened in alarm as his muscles went slack and gravity pulled him backwards off the wall.

* * *

**Lest: **C'mon Edward! How hard is it to get with the program?! So what if you think you're going crazy? Embrace it and share cute moments with Mustang!

**L.Q: **Urgh, it's too early for this.

**Lest: **It's 8am. That's not early.

**L.Q: **Whatever. Guys, I have some BAD NEWS. The next chapter MIGHT, I repeat, MIGHT, be a little bit late. Cuz, I'm actually still kind of writing it. I started this story with the first three chapters already done and the fourth pretty much completed. So basically, in all this time, I've only written like, one and a half chapters. Sorry guys.

**Lest: **My my, isn't that a shame? Anyways, do you guys want the recipe for cookies that was used in this story? Just think about it, making the cookies that Roy and Ed made!

**L.Q: **We're all over the place. And still asleep. Thanks thanks thanks for the reviews guys. I LOVE THEM.


	6. Chapter 6

Roy hurried down the street, turning his head left and right and scanning the area in a frantic search for the young blond. He had known that Edward was fast, but he honestly didn't think he would be _that _fast!

Where in the world could the pipsqueak have gone off to? And more importantly, why did he leave in the first place?

Roy had been shocked when Edward had suddenly lost it, claiming to be sick of him and expressing the need to get away from him. He would be lying if he said he was not a little bit hurt by Ed's outburst. He wasn't _that _horrible to be around, was he? He honestly didn't think so; in fact, he had been pretty damn nice to the kid!

How exactly was he _messing with the kid's head?_ What had he done wrong?

Mustang almost stopped in his tracks. What had _he _done wrong? Fullmetal was at fault for being so difficult, not him! Didn't the kid see that he was trying to help? In his current state, he could easily be killedif he was left alone!

Mustang's stomach tossed and turned painfully. He was responsible for Edward right now, but how could he possibly protect him if he didn't even know where he was? He had to find Edward, and fast!

Roy turned to the nearest person. "Excuse me!"

The middle-aged woman stopped to look at Roy. A small girl clutched her hand tightly, staring up at Roy with wide green eyes.

"Can I help you Sir?"

"Yes, I'm looking for a teenage boy. He has blond hair and golden eyes. Right now he's wearing a black jacket and black trousers. He might have run past you earlier looking a bit distressed. Have you seen him?"

The woman regarded him with something like approval in her eyes. "Why, yes!" she said. "He was sitting on a wall back there when I walked past him. He might still be there."

"Thank-you so much, Madam!"

With barely another glance at the woman and her child, Roy took off down the street, anxious to find Edward.

He came to a brick wall soon enough, but to his dismay, there was no one sitting on it. Edward must've moved on already; he had missed him! Roy stopped to catch his breath and leaned against the wall, holding a stitch in his side.

"Dammit Fullmetal!" he said, none too quietly. People swerved around him and mothers shot him dirty looks, but he didn't care. "Edward," he said more quietly, "where are you?"

"Colonel, I'm here!"

Roy's head snapped up and he glanced around frantically. That was definitely Edward, but where was he?

"I'm behind the wall, Colonel. Hurry!"

Ah.

Mustang stood on the tips of his toes and used his arms to pull himself up and drape himself over the wall. He peered down to see a most unusual sight. In any other situation, he would've laughed and snapped a picture.

Edward was on the ground in a very awkward, uncomfortable looking position. He looked like he had gotten stuck in the middle of doing a summersault. His butt was sticking up in the air and his back wasn't even touching the ground! It looked like most of his weight was on his neck too, which must've been painful.

Roy quickly brought the rest of himself up and over the wall, carefully landing beside his charge. He grabbed Ed's legs and lifted them up, setting the teen into a more comfortable, natural position. Edward groaned in relief as his back touched the ground and his neck straightened out.

Roy looked down at the teen, who was panting slightly with his eyes closed. "Can you move?" he asked, though he already knew the answer.

"No." Edward turned his head away from Mustang, wincing as he moved his abused neck. "Man, my back is just killing me!"

Mustang felt a stab of shame. He had let Ed get out of his sight for a short while, and look what had happened to him! So far, every time Ed's mobility disappeared, Roy hadn't been there for him.

What kind of guardian did that make him?

"See what happens when you just run off, Edward?" Roy let his worry and shame turn into anger as he rounded on the boy. "You can't be left alone for one second! So don't act childish and just cooperate with me!"

Edward didn't say anything, so Mustang took his silence as an agreement.

"I'm going to lift you up now," he said, moving closer to the blond. "We're going back to my house."

"No way in hell are you going to carry me through the streets like a baby!" Ed snapped his head back towards Mustang and glared at him with such intensity that any lesser man would've faltered.

Mustang was unfazed though as he put an arm beneath Edward's knees and one behind his back. He lifted Ed off the ground in one fluid movement, ignoring the teen's protests. Roy held Ed in such a way so that his head was resting on Mustang's shoulder. Being carried bridal style in public must've been embarrassing, and Roy felt a stab of sympathy for the boy.

"Just close your eyes Edward," he said, trying to be comforting. "We'll be home before you know it." He stepped out from behind the wall and started walking down the street, ignoring the curious stares from passer-bys.

* * *

Mustang opened the door awkwardly with Edward in his arms and closed it with his foot. The smell of something burning assaulted his nostrils immediately.

"SHIT, THE COOKIES!"

He ran to the living room and quickly deposited Ed on the couch, before dashing into the kitchen, swiping the oven mitts off the floor as he went. The cookies were nothing more than solid, smoking black lumps. The smell of burnt cookie hung all over the first floor.

"Are they edible?" Edward called from the living room.

"What do you think?" Mustang yelled back. Was the kid serious? They were ruined without a doubt! Cookies often lasted for no more than ten minutes in the oven, and they had been in for nearly thirty . . .

Mustang went around the house opening windows, and then proceeded to scrape the mess off of the baking tray and into the garbage. He had a hell of a hard time accomplishing the second task.

Mustang walked into the living room after setting the kitchen in order. Edward was still in the exact same position on the couch (no surprise there). Mustang sat down on the couch across from him and leaned back. He waited.

Edward broke first, just as Roy knew he would.

"Will you just hurry up and say something already?!"

"Say what, Fullmetal?" Roy replied in a distant tone. He was sure Edward would've cringed if he had been able to move.

"Say that I'm an idiot! Tell me how stupid I am and how I always mess things up for other people!"

Roy was a little bit surprised. He wouldn't go so far as to call Ed an idiot, though he did make some rash decisions sometimes. And he definitely wouldn't say that Ed messed things up for other people, at least not intentionally.

Mustang scrutinized the boy in front of him. He had turned his head into the fabric of the couch, hiding his face from Mustang's searching gaze. What had caused the kid to snap at him earlier? How in the world was he messing with Edward's head? Everything he did was perfectly reasonable to keep him safe and distracted from what was going on!

Oh.

_Oh._

He really was an inconsiderate bastard. Edward had no clue what was going on. He was being lied to and kept in the dark. He was away from his brother and stuck with someone that he hated. The teen was in the perfect environment and situation to make him confused and stressed.

"Edward, look at me."

Ed refused to turn his head. He gave no indication that he had heard Mustang at all. Roy stood up and walked around the coffee table to get to Ed. He kneeled down beside him (maybe he should put a stool there to sit on or something) and grabbed Edward's head.

"Let go of me! Don't touch me!"

Roy really didn't _want_ to invade the boy's personal space, but he really needed Edward to be looking him in the eyes when he said this.

Light fiery eyes met dark cool ones, and Mustang started speaking without hesitation. "Edward, you are not an idiot; you're a genius that just does stupid things sometimes. And you don't mess things up for other people; you're always doing the best you can to help them!"

"Just shut up!" Edward screwed his eyes shut and started shaking his head violently, trying to turn it to the side again. "Lies! They're all just lies! Don't lie to try and make me feel better! Just act like the bastard you are and leave me alone!"

Roy drew back as if he had been burned. Was this kid for real? Even after everything he had done to make him feel welcome, taking him to fairs, baking cookies, even carrying him home, the kid still refused to stop antagonizing him!

What could he do to make Ed trust him?

* * *

**L.Q: **Sorry guys, but this was the best I could do.

**Lest: **I blame that jazz band camp you signed up for; five hours a day for five days in a row is just too much.

**L.Q: **Please, don't remind me; my mouth still hurts. Anyways, I actually had to do some 'research' for this chapter for you guys.

**Lest: **Yup, she went into the 'very awkward, uncomfortable looking position' that Ed was in.

**L.Q: **During my first attempt I ended up doing a summersault. It would've been fine, but since I started in the middle of my bed, I ended up landing on the end of my bed frame. It hurt my back a lot, half of my body was dangling off my bed and the frame was almost cutting me in half!

**Lest: **Don't be dramatic!

**L.Q: **During my other attempts to balance in that position, I was seriously worrying that my neck might break. And curving your back like that with no support is seriously uncomfortable and painful. I was finally able to stay in that position for like, one second, before saying "well, that's good enough for me! If Eren and Reiner can do it so effortlessly in the manga volumes of Attack On Titan after Annie flips them during training, then I'm sure Ed can do it too!" But seriously guys, it was so hard to even _get _in that position; I don't recommend trying it. My back was aching while I typed this chapter.

**Chocolate Chip Cookies**

**1 cup (250mL) Butter (or hard margarine) softened**

**1 cup (250mL) Brown sugar, packed**

**½ cup (125mL) Granulated sugar**

**2 Large eggs**

**2 tsp. (10mL) Vanilla**

**2 ¼ cups (550mL) All-purpose flour**

**1 tsp. (5mL) Baking soda**

**1 tsp. (5mL) Salt**

**1 cup (250mL) chocolate chips**

**Cream butter and both sugars together. Beat in eggs 1 at a time. Mix in vanilla.**

**Add flour, baking soda, salt and chocolate chips. Drop by spoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheet.**

**Bake in 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) in oven for 8 to 10 minutes or until golden brown. Makes 4 dozen.**

**Lest: **Just in case you're interested.

**L.Q: **Sorry for the short-ish chapter. I hope you guys will review anyway!


	7. Chapter 7

**L.Q: **Sorry, I forgot to put a disclaimer on the last chapter, so this one counts for both.

**Disclaimer: L.Q does not own Fullmetal Alchemist.**

* * *

Edward kept his eyes shut and his head turned into the couch. He struggled to keep his breathing even. He didn't want to see Mustang right now. He didn't want to be_ near_ Mustang right now. But Mustang was still there. He could sense his presence close to him, standing perfectly still and silent.

Why couldn't the bastard just do them both a favour and walk away?

Ed wasn't a child that needed to be coddled and encouraged every step of the way. He had two strong legs and could stand up perfectly fine on his own!

So why on earth was Mustang still here in his personal life?

"Edward."

Edward just clenched his eyes shut tighter and hoped with all his might that the next words coming out of Mustang's mouth would be 'good-bye'.

Yes, he couldn't deny that some foreign part of him would be sad, terribly sad, if Mustang left. But if it meant that he could go back to Al and do what was most important to him, then the loss of this sense of almost contentment with Mustang would be a small price to pay.

Well, it actually wasn't so small. It was only fair.

"Edward. _Please _look at me."

Mustang's voice held no anger or spite, only bare gentleness. It was a voice that was open and begged for trust, no matter what the consequences were. Edward was rather alarmed to hear it.

He opened his eyes and after a moment's hesitation, turned his head to face Mustang. The man's eyebrows hinted at slight worry, and his eyes held only open concern. His expression was downright pleading with him.

What the hell? How far was Mustang willing to go to keep up this little charade? Didn't he know that Edward _knew _he was only pretending? Why did he insist on torturing Ed with this melee of emotions? Ed didn't want to be happy, sad, and confused all at once!

Shock was the only thing that filled Edward's mind when arms suddenly enveloped him. "Get off me!" he said instinctively.

Mustang didn't listen. Edward stared off into space over Mustang's shoulder. The only thing he could focus on was Mustang. The warmth from his body seemed to surround him, and his presence was solid and reassuring.

It was wonderful, and yet so horrible.

What was his superior officer doing, _hugging_ him? The emotions that assaulted Ed were too much for him to handle at this rate! He wanted to melt into the embrace, but he also wanted to push Mustang off of him and slug him in the face. He wanted to believe _so much _that Mustang truly cared about him, but he _knew_ that he wanted no such ties with his superior.

Choked sounds suddenly came out of his mouth and he felt Mustang draw back a bit. Edward stared up at Mustang with tears pooling in his eyes. He lay there hiccupping as the tears finally spilled and ran down his face.

Dammit dammit dammit! How could this be happening?! Edward was horrified, but he couldn't stop the tears from running down his face and his breathing refused to even out. He was dying.

Even though Ed could barely see through the tears that blurred his vision, when Mustang moved out of his line of sight he felt a pang. It wasn't a feeling of victory or satisfaction. Mustang was finally leaving, but he didn't want him to!

No, he did! He wanted to be left alone, _especially _at a time like this!

But Edward wasn't alone. He felt Mustang hands slide underneath his back, before pushing him up into a sitting position. Soon he was leaning back against something warm, firm, and alive. Mustang's arms wrapped around Edward's torso from behind, and Ed tried desperately to stop crying.

His efforts were in vain though as another hiccup brought the tears coming forth even stronger than before and his gasping became louder.

"It's okay Edward." Mustang finally spoke, and Edward latched onto the sound of his voice like a drowning sailor. "I'm right here, and I'm not going to leave, due to me being the bastard I am."

Edward just cried and cried without even knowing why he was crying. It didn't matter though; Mustang was there and he wasn't going to leave him. The part of him that had been screaming not to be touched seemed to be washed away by his tears, and soon enough he was all tuckered out.

With his eyes closed, the last of Ed's distrust seemed to vanish into the air as he breathed out slowly. Right now, he felt strangely light, safe, and content. Ed turned onto his side and drew his legs up a bit. He snuggled into Mustang and wrapped one arm around the man, returning his embrace. Ed felt the rise and fall of his chest as Mustang took a sudden deep breath.

With the faintest hint of a smile on his face, Ed fell into a deep sleep.

* * *

Alphonse sat beneath a tree, staring up past the leaves on the branches above him and up at the late afternoon sky. Clouds drifted by lazily, with the barest hints of pink just beginning to colour the vast emptiness.

Boy did he feel lonely without his brother.

Spending time with the Hughes family and playing with Elysia was all fine and dandy, but without Edward, everything felt off. It was like a painting without colour, or a puzzle with the center piece missing.

How many times had Al put down his book with a question on his mind only to look up and find that Edward wasn't around to ask? How many times had he glanced at the clock to check how many hours were left until dinner, only to stop and remember that somebody else was feeding his brother?

Alphonse had learned to schedule his day around Ed's needs, but without his brother around, he was at a loss on what do to with himself. It was like his responsibilities had just been stripped away from him, leaving him with nothing. To put it quite frankly, he missed Edward, even though it had only been two days since he had last seen his brother.

He wasn't a state alchemist, so the national state libraries were not open to him, and he wasn't really allowed to be at the military headquarters without Edward. Yes, he was technically helping with the mystery involving his brother, but two days had passed and they had made virtually no progress.

Alphonse stared ahead at the old house in front of him. Mr. Hughes had told him to just relax and take it easy, but he couldn't do that when his brother was in such a state! Continuing to look for the Philosophers to restore their bodies was also out of the question right now.

The only thing for him to do was to help his brother get better as soon as possible, and if that meant going after a crazy woman on his own, so be it.

Al made his decision and stood up, strolling towards the house. He was sure the kidnapper wasn't there anymore, but maybe he would be able to find some clues in the house.

Mr. Hughes' investigation team had already thoroughly searched the house, but Al hadn't been allowed to come with them. Maybe he could find something that everyone else had missed.

The floorboards creaked beneath his feet, but the weak light from the window illuminated a very well kept house. It looked as if it was just waiting for a family or an old couple to return home after a long day.

Alphonse began to search through the house. He opened drawers and combed through the bookshelves. He looked behind paintings and tapped the walls, but he didn't find anything!

There were no syringes, ropes, documents, or even maps! The house didn't seem to be the woman's home or even her base of operations, but the house was certainly not abandoned. At the very least, somebody visited this house regularly to dust it and water the potted plants, which looked very healthy.

Or maybe the house had only been dusted shortly before Ed was brought there and the potted plants were new.

The case with Edward had too many unknowns and barely any information. No one even knew the woman's name, and she didn't go by an alias.

Alphonse sighed and sunk to the ground in defeat. He leaned his body against the wall in the hallway and stared blankly at the wall in front of him.

There really was nothing he could do. Maybe there was nothing_ anyone_ could do. The person who knew the most (and the least) was Edward, but he couldn't tell them anything. From what he had gathered on his calls with the colonel, Ed wasn't acting any different from his usual self and still hadn't remembered what happened to him, so there were no hints on what the chemical was doing to him, aside from the effect of Edward becoming paralyzed.

But then again, what would the colonel know? He was good at reading people, but he really didn't know Edward all that well. Al knew his brother better than anyone else, and would probably know right away if something was different with Edward's behaviour.

Al alone had seen every face that Edward had. Everyone else only saw the brave face he put on when he faced the world. But Al had seen him at his worst, back then _and _now. There were times when his walls came crashing down, and even when he tried to hide his weak side, Al knew.

He knew about the panicked yells and laboured breathing that could be heard in the middle of the night. He noticed the stress and weariness that appeared on his brother's face when they came back from another failed lead and Ed thought nobody was watching.

Ed was strong, stronger than Al could ever hope to be, but sometimes his shield cracked and flashes of the turmoil inside of him rose to the surface before they were quickly pushed back down.

Al desperately wanted his body back more than anything, if only to ease Edward of the pain and guilt that seemed to shadow his eyes every time he looked at Al in his hollow encasement.

It pained Al to know that when it came down to it, _he_ was the one responsible for Ed's daily suffering.

But even though he was the reason that Ed had to be so strong every day, Al couldn't help but miss his brother's presence beside him. His brother was the one thing that tied him to the world, that shared experiences with him and assured him of his own existence. Without the beacon of hope that was Edward, Al had nothing to hold on to.

Ed needed Al, and Al needed Ed. Now that he thought about it, they were all they ever needed, really. Even though he longed for more and he _knew _he longed for more, he had all the family he needed to go on.

And that would always be enough for him.

* * *

**L.Q:** Hmm, I don't know if I like Alphonse's thoughts right now; they may be a bit out of character for him. Well, at least this chapter is slightly longer than the last one! And by slightly longer, I mean, like, two paragraphs longer. Don't worry though, today is the last day of jazz band (woohoo! No more pain!), so the coming chapters should – but might not – be longer.

**Lest: **Oh well, at least this is something. I still can't believe Ed cried though. WHY?

**L.Q: **I dunno; I'm not Ed! Seriously though, it was just too much for the kid. But I fear I may have made him go crazy . . .

**Lest: **That's okay!

**L.Q: **I would like to thank everyone very much for the reviews, favourites, and follows! I just CAN'T BELIEVE that I have this many! The only thing that kept me going in jazz band was the thought of going home to read more lovely reviews. I could just float away right now.

**Lest: **Till next time!


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer: L.Q does not own Fullmetal Alchemist.**

* * *

Alphonse was torn from his thoughts and looked up in alarm as a knock suddenly sounded at the door. He scrambled to his feet with the grace of clanking metal and looked around frantically, searching for a place to hide. He wasn't supposed to be in the house, and if he was caught, he would be in a lot of trouble! The doorknob rattled and he heard the front door creak open.

"I'm home!"

Alphonse froze in shock. He was trespassing in somebody else's _home?_ The pitter-patter of tiny feet could be heard now, running through the house. Al went into a full blown panic; he had to get out of the house now, before he was discovered! He dashed over towards the nearest window, but it was too small for his huge bulk to fit through.

"Mommy, is that you?"

Waah, it was the voice of a little girl! What would she say when she discovered that a metal giant had invaded her home?

Alphonse gave up on the window and tried to edge into one of the rooms lining the hallway, but a small figure suddenly turned the corner, caught sight of him, and froze in her tracks. She stared up at Al with wide green eyes full of fear.

"Uh, please don't be afraid!" Alphonse held up his hands and crouched down to the floor, hoping to pacify the girl before she could become distressed. "My name is Alphonse, what's yours?"

The little girl stood there expressionless for a moment, then turned around and ran back the way she came, her red hair whipping around the corner in a flash.

Alphonse sighed and stood up. The girl was obviously afraid of him, and that was no surprise. He knew that he could look pretty intimidating in his armour. The best thing he could do right now was to leave the house and inform Mr. Hughes of what he had learned. He walked slowly down the hall and descended the stairs. On his way to the front door, the little girl peeked out from behind a counter in the kitchen.

"Why are you in my house?"

Alphonse stopped and bowed politely. "I'm sorry for trespassing in your house. I was just . . . looking for someone."

The little girl came out from behind the counter. "Who were you looking for? My mother?"

Alphonse straightened up and thought hard on how to answer this. The mother of this girl could very well be the woman he was looking for, but he doubted anything good would happen if he were to confront the woman directly. He didn't want to end up engaging the woman in combat in front of her daughter.

But then again, an opportunity like this might never come again, and he was willing to take risks if it meant getting his brother well again. Al made his decision.

"Yes, I was looking for your mother. Do you think I might be able to talk to her?"

The girl seemed to think hard for a second. "Yes," she finally said. "You can talk to her when she comes home."

Alphonse bowed again. "Thank-you very much."

The girl seemed to get over her fear and walked right up to him. "You're welcome," she said. She stuck out her hand. "I'm Anna, by the way."

"It's nice to meet you."

Anna's eyes shone with curiosity and Al prepared himself for the question he knew was going to come.

"Why do you wear that armour?"

* * *

Edward was warm and very comfortable. The soft, steady beating in his ear threatened to pull him back into the depths of sleep, but he resisted the temptation. He opened his eyes slowly and lifted his head up.

Light from the evening sun filtered through the windows, and Ed considered putting his head back down and going back to sleep until morning.

He reconsidered the thought once he realized where he was.

The colonel was spread out along the length of the couch, and Ed was lying on top of him. He was pressed into Mustang's chest and held in place by his arms.

With a horrified gasp, Ed rolled sideways off the couch and out of the colonel's arms. The man awoke with a start, sitting up and blinking rapidly to get the sleep out of his eyes. Ed stood up from his crouch on the floor with a scowl on his face.

Mustang yawned and stretched his arms above his head. "Do you feel any better?" he asked. "You had a good cry, and by the looks of your hair, you had a pretty good nap too."

Edward took a step back in confusion. "What are you talking about? I didn't cry! I just fell asleep on the couch and when I woke up you had your arms around me! What are you, a pedophile or something?!"

Mustang leapt up from the couch in indignation. "I'm not a pedophile!" He then sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "Do you . . . really not remember?"

"Remember _what? _That I cried? I don't cry, Mustang!"

Alphonse couldn't cry, so Ed didn't cry either. He didn't deserve to cry, not only because he had to be strong for Al, but because it just wouldn't be fair. How many times had Al tired to cry? The most his little brother could do was imitate the sounds, but his cries of despair only rang hollow and fake inside his armour. There was no way Ed would shed tears for anything less than a death when his brother couldn't even mourn the loss of his own body.

Mustang stared at him intently, and Ed matched the stare with his own fiery glare. How dare Colonel Bastard accuse _him _of crying!

"Edward, you may not remember – because you hit your head and are suffering from the effects – but I swear to you, you did cry. You completely broke down!"

"Prove it." Edward crossed his arms in defiance. "Can you tell me _why _I supposedly cried?"

A range of emotions flitted across Mustang's face. It was like the man didn't know what to think. "How am I supposed to know why you cried?" he finally said. "You wouldn't tell me anything!"

Mustang was so obviously _lying. _The obvious lack of an explanation brought a sense of relief upon Edward. But something felt a bit . . . off.

"I don't believe you. I didn't cry," he said forcefully. Ed turned on his heel and strode towards the kitchen. But before leaving the living room, he stopped in the entrance way and spun around to point a finger at Mustang. "Roy, if I _ever_ find you touching me again, I promise I won't hesitate to send you flying to the moon!"

Shooting one last glare over his shoulder, he went off to raid the fridge.

* * *

Roy stared at Edward's back as the boy walked away. Did he seriously not remember, or was he just pretending? Was this the effect of the drug? Edward was falling over paralyzed, had memory loss, and was definitely struggling with something. But Roy couldn't help him if Edward didn't tell him what was wrong!

Roy didn't know much about what was going on, but he did know that he was going to need some help.

* * *

"Anna, I'm home!"

Anna put down her stuffed rabbit and ran to the door as Al watched on in mild apprehension. He hoped that he would be able to get some information without things getting violent.

Alphonse waited on the living room couch and listened to the muffled voices of Anna and her mother in the hallway. Soon, a middle-aged woman entered the living room, with Anna tugging her along by the hand.

"This is Mr. Alphonse!" the little girl said, gesturing towards Al as if he was some sort of exhibit. "He was looking for you earlier, and I invited him to wait with me until you came home!"

"That was very nice of you Anna." The woman's hair was a shade darker than her daughter's fiery red, and her green eyes looked bright and kind. She spoke to her daughter with a gentle voice, and the thought that this woman was a great mother struck Al's mind.

"Anna, why don't you go play upstairs with Mr. Rabbit for a little while? I'll have a short chat with Mr. Alphonse and then I'll call you down for dinner."

"Okay Mommy!" Anna grabbed her pink rabbit off the floor and scurried up the stairs and out of sight. Al heard the soft click of a door closing and turned his attention back to the woman.

She didn't say anything right away, but walked over to an armchair and sat down, adjusting her skirt over her legs. She smoothed the fabric down and clasped her hands together. "How can I help you, dear Alphonse?"

For a second Al didn't know what to say. Was this even the woman he was looking for? He pushed away all doubts and decided to start from the beginning.

"A few days ago my brother, Edward Elric the Fullmetal Alchemist, was kidnapped. He was rescued from this house and was found to have foreign drug inside of him. This house was thought to be deserted, but apparently you live here. I was wondering if you knew anything about the whole situation, and if you could answer a few questions to help with the investigation."

"Hmm, I know everything about the situation, but I'm afraid I can't answer any questions."

Alphonse shot up from his seat and backed a good distance away. This woman was the kidnapper! "What did you do to my brother?" he demanded.

The woman rose from her seat as well, albeit much slower and held up her hands in a calming gesture. "There's no need to fear, I have no intention of hurting your brother, nor you."

"Please just answer the question!"

"Trust me, what I'm doing is all for his own good," she said. "As a mother, I can't bear to see him go on like this, so I simply gave your brother . . . a break."

"He's been having bouts of paralysis! Please stop this and give me an antidote for him!"

The woman regarded him with sympathy in her eyes. "Don't worry, Alphonse. Your brother will be just fine."

That was it! Alphonse knew that violence was never the answer, but this was his brother they were talking about! He charged towards the woman and pinned her against the wall. "You will give me the counter to the drug you injected into my brother _now,_" he said menacingly.

Sadness seemed to fill the woman's eyes as she gazed up at him. "I'm sorry," she said softly, before kicking her leg straight up and knocking off Al's helmet.

"Ah!" Alphonse let go immediately and struggled to catch his airborne head. The helmet fell to the ground with a clank and he hurriedly picked it back up.

He looked up to see the woman staring at him with something akin to sympathy and sadness on her face. "You're empty inside . . . you poor child."

Alphonse jammed his helmet back on and straightened up. He didn't know what to do; the woman knew his secret! And she was . . . not freaking out about it?

Most people ran away from him in horror or covered their mouths in shock. This woman was different though. She approached Alphonse slowly with her arms outstretched. Al seemed incapable of moving as the woman drew nearer. She opened her arms and embraced Al in a hug.

"Alphonse, let's talk."

* * *

**L.Q: **I'm so sorry this is late guys, but I'm sure in the back of your minds you all knew this was coming. After all, all good things must come to an end, and that includes my update schedule.

**Lest: **BOO!

**L.Q: **Hey! Think about it people, an update every other day was pretty good, but twice a week is reasonable too, I think. If I have longer than 2 days to write each chapter, I can check it for mistakes and think about where I want to take this story even more. You don't know how much trouble I had trying to decide how Ed should act after he woke up!

**Lest: **It's okay, I'm sure people will understand. And I'm sure they'll continue to leave those lovely reviews you love so much, no matter how fast you update.

**L.Q: **I hope so . . .


	9. Chapter 9

**Disclaimer: L.Q does not own Fullmetal Alchemist.**

* * *

"Yo, Roy! Can you believe what my darling little Elysia did this morning? She helped her mommy wash the dishes! She was up to her elbows in soap suds and looked so adorable with that perfect little grin on her face! She posed so nicely for the camera too! And after that – "

"Hughes!"

Roy pinched the bridge of his nose in irritation and let out a sigh through the phone. "Spare me the details Maes, I feel like I'm in over my head here with Edward. Do you have any leads?"

Maes got serious immediately. "No, and worse, Alphonse has gone missing. He said that he would only be out for a short while, but he has been out all day and Elysia misses the perfect gentleman she used to have tea with!"

Roy glanced out the window. Night had fallen long ago, and he could understand why Maes would be worried about Alphonse being out at this time, but the boy could take care of himself.

"Alphonse is very capable Maes, and you have to remember that he doesn't need to sleep. It would only bore him to be stuck inside your house all night long."

"But he's only twelve! And he _promised _to be back in time for dinner! You know how responsible Al is, he would have at least called if he was going to be late!"

"Well, what do you want me to do about it? Tell Edward?"

Roy already had his own problems with the older brother; he didn't need to be worrying about the younger one too!

Maes seemed to sense his stress, for he calmed down considerably. "It's okay, don't worry about it Roy. I'll look for Alphonse in the morning if he isn't home by then." Maes' voice had gone from whining to somewhat soothing. "So, tell me about Edward. How have things been going?"

"I honestly don't know." Roy leaned forward to rest his elbows on his knees and used one hand to support his head. "Yesterday and the day before he seemed to be fine, but today he literally ran away from me! He collapsed outside and I had to carry him back home. When I confronted him he started acting very self-degrading and when I tried to reassure him he called me a liar. Then he just broke down and started crying!"

Roy's eyes widened as he heard Maes' laughter echo through the phone. "That's completely natural Roy; he is a teenager after all! I have a parenting book you can borrow that covers – "

"He fell asleep afterwards and when he woke up he didn't remember anything!"

Maes' laughter died down and silence ensued on both ends. "How much did he forget?" Maes asked.

"I don't know," Roy replied. "He acted as if nothing happened and I didn't want to bring it up, so I didn't do anything."

"Dammit Roy!" Maes' sharp tone cut through the phone like a whip, startling Roy into sitting up straight. "How can you expect to make any progress with Ed if you don't _talk to him?! _You've been leaving him to stew about everything on his own, and we have no idea how the drug is making him think right now!"

Roy could only sit there dumbfounded as Maes ranted at him. "You need to support him and get to the bottom of this, not just let everything slide by! This is the reason he's with you in the first place; so you can be there for him!"

Roy flinched as if he had been struck. Hadn't he been there for Ed all along? Was being there for someone more than just feeding them, amusing them, and spending time with them? Did supporting someone mean pushing them hard enough so that their burdens fell off, so that you could pick them up and shoulder them as well?

Oh gosh, he really was an uncaring bastard.

"Roy? Roy, are you listening to me?"

Roy was jolted out of his thoughts. "I'm listening Maes, and I heard you loud and clear." He clenched his fist in determination. "Don't worry, I promise that I'll get to the bottom of this."

Roy could almost see Maes' approving grin on the other end of the line. "Just don't forget Roy, you can't expect him to tell you everything without you opening up as well."

"What are you suggesting?"

"Nothing, nothing at all!" Maes' teasing tone was back, and Roy got the feeling that the conversation was coming to an end.

"Alright then, take care. If Alphonse shows up tomorrow, be sure to bring him by the office. I think Ed needs to see his brother again."

"Will do! I'll be sure to bring my pictures by the office as well! Bye Roy!" Maes quickly hung up, ensuring that he got the last word in the conversation.

Roy leaned back on the couch and rubbed his tired eyes. It would be a long day at work tomorrow.

* * *

"Wake up!"

Ed groaned as he was hit with a pillow repeatedly. Why couldn't the bastard wake him up in a normal way? He cracked open his eyelids and glanced at the clock.

"Roy, it's seven-thirty. Come back in three hours from now," he mumbled, snuggling deeper into his covers.

"I like to arrive at work on time, unlike you. You need to get up now, if you don't want to be rushed."

Ed waved his hand in a go-away-don't-bother-me gesture and turned so that his back was to Mustang. "Just come back later and rush me, I don't care."

"You should!"

Ed snapped his eyes open as the covers were pulled off him. His warm body was now exposed to the cold air and he curled in on himself, trying in vain to stay warm. He looked over his shoulder to shoot Mustang a hateful glare. Roy just chuckled in the face of his suffering and edged away, holding the blanket protectively in his arms.

"Fine! I'll get up!"

Ed grumbled to himself as he sat up and swung his legs over the edge of the bed. Roy didn't return the covers to his bed until Edward was out the bedroom door. Ed looked back over his shoulder on the way to the washroom to see Roy making his bed . . . what a neat freak.

* * *

Ed lay on the couch in Mustang's inner office, bored out of his mind. The only sound in the office was the scratch of Mustang's pen against the paper (kudos to Mustang for actually doing his paperwork for once) and the lack of activity was finally getting to him.

Ed sat up and stretched his arms above his head. He couldn't believe that he had had to wake up early for _this. _A growl from his stomach cut through the silence, and Mustang looked up from his paperwork with a raised eyebrow.

"You ate breakfast this morning, and it's still two hours until lunchtime," he stated.

"That's correct, but it doesn't mean anything." Edward stood up and grabbed his red coat off the back of the couch. "I'm going out to get something to eat," he said. "I'll see you later."

"Don't be silly. You know I can't allow you to do that, Fullmetal."

Edward inwardly sighed. He knew that Mustang was supposed to watch him, but this was just too much. This was his fourth day with Mustang, and he really wanted a break. Heck, he just wanted to be with Al.

"I'll be _fine, _Mustang." He threw a smirk over his shoulder and continued on towards the door. "Don't worry yourself; you've never been one to care, anyways."

"Dammit Fullmetal; stop saying that I don't care!" Mustang stood up and slapped an open palm down on his desk. He winced inwardly as a stinging pain shot through his hand.

Now that Maes had enlightened him, he was shocked and disgusted with himself for having not seen it earlier. All the offhand comments thrown at him about him not caring and about him being a bastard, why hadn't he noticed them and caught them?

Well, that was all going to change. Starting right now.

Ed looked like a deer caught in headlights. He stood frozen in the middle of the office, with conflicting emotions flitting across his face. Shock and confusion became dominant as Mustang reached for his military coat and put it on.

Roy composed himself and smoothed down the front of his coat. "Well, I guess it couldn't hurt to take a short break and grab a quick bite."

Edward rolled his eyes and turned away with a strange expression on his face. He somehow looked pleased, disgusted, and angry all at once. "You'll do anything to shirk your paperwork!"

"I'm not shirking my paperwork; I'm spending time with you."

Roy winced and inwardly held his breath. That had been a bit too much, even for him, and he didn't know how Ed would take it.

"Like you don't spend enough time with me _already!_ You're just acting downright creepy, you know that?"

"I know." Roy strode across the office and slung an arm around Ed's shoulders, pulling him into his side. He observed with a critical eye as the boy turned crimson and hurriedly pushed him away.

"Keep your hands off me!"

Roy could see it now. What he had previously mistaken for anger was embarrassment. He really wasn't doing any harm by touching the boy. Heck, maybe Ed even liked being comforted and was just too ashamed to admit it!

Still . . . Roy knew that it wouldn't be wise to push his luck; Ed was giving him that strange look again.

* * *

Edward focused on eating his sandwich, intent on ignoring the man walking beside him on the sidewalk. The man who supposedly _cared. _Ed twitched as Roy crunched the lettuce in his sandwich; couldn't the man chew any quieter? Ed resisted the urge to stop and glare at him.

The feelings had almost been too much when Roy had oh-so-casually draped an arm around his shoulders. Seriously, what was Roy's problem? Didn't he know how much he was torturing him? It was just getting worse and worse, and Roy certainly wasn't helping. Ed knew what he had to do. He had to set some boundaries, pound it into Mustang's fat head that he needed _space._

But why was it so difficult for him to do so?

Edward had never had a problem with letting people know when something displeased him before. In fact, Al had often had to hold him back from tearing the offending person apart when he got too carried away.

Why was it so hard to tell Roy this one simple thing?

Edward finished off his own sandwich and tossed the wrapping in a nearby garbage can. Mustang was only halfway through his own sandwich, and yet he had been able to make those annoying crunching sounds the whole time Ed had been eating his!

"Edward, what's bothering you?" Roy had stopped eating his sandwich and was staring at Ed intently.

Ed didn't hesitate to reply. "You," he said. "_You _are bothering me."

"What am I doing that bothers you?"

Edward turned his head away and quickened his pace. He did _not _want to have this talk with Mustang. Even though it was the perfect opportunity, he couldn't bring himself to vent out his feelings. Not to Roy.

"I'm waiting for an answer, Edward."

Ed started as Mustang grabbed his arm and forced him to slow down. The contact caused everything to explode inside of him at full force. He wanted to scream. He wanted to punch the bastard and flail his arms and take off running down the street. And he would've done just that had Mustang not spun him around and held him in place by his shoulders. It was just too much; Ed was trapped and couldn't take it anymore.

"_Please, _Roy," he begged. He was willing Roy to get the message, but Roy wasn't backing off. Ed's head was suddenly spinning and his thoughts were whirling. It was like his warring thoughts from the past few days had decided to get physical.

His vision went black as his knees buckled and he fell right into Mustang's arms.

* * *

**Lest: **What's Mustang's problem?! Can't he see that he's hurting Ed?!

**L.Q: **. . . Since when did you care?

**Lest: **Don't be like Edward! I _always _cared!

**L.Q: **Well, what do you know; you learn something new every day.

**Lest: **Whatever. Anyways, wasn't there something you wanted to say?

**L.Q: **Oh yeah! This story has over ONE HUNDRED REVIEWS! WOOHOO! IT'S TIME TO CELEBRATE!

**Lest: ***smiles and throws confetti in the air*

**L.Q: **Thank you so much guys! All I can say is wow . . . just wow. You people are amazing. Thank you so much to everyone who has ever reviewed this story, and to the people who are going to review.

**Lest: **Yup, you make her day _every_ day.


	10. Chapter 10

**Disclaimer: Legendarily Quiet does not own Fullmetal Alchemist.**

* * *

"Would you like one sugar with your tea, or two?"

"Two please."

Anna dropped some air into Al's pink plastic cup and stirred the emptiness inside it with a small spoon. She handed it to Alphonse with both hands.

"Thank you very much." Alphonse took the cup delicately and pretended to sip from it. "This tea is delicious!" He placed the cup back on its saucer and placed both of his hands on his lap.

Anna turned to her pink rabbit. "How many sugars would you like, Mr. Rabbit?" She waited for the soundless answer, and then went about fixing a cup for him as well.

Alphonse did his best to hold in a sigh. It wasn't that he didn't like the girl, no, not at all. She was as much of a darling as Elicia was. Anna was a fine little angel.

It was her mother that had Al in a twist.

The mysterious woman had introduced herself as Cassandra Bell, and Al had to say that he didn't know what to make of her. She had said that she didn't mean any harm, but how could anyone kidnap and drug a minor with no ill intentions?

And how could anyone have made such a large error while doing so?

"It's been pleasant having tea with you, Miss Anna and Mr. Rabbit, but I'm afraid I'll have to excuse myself now."

Anna gave a wave of her hand and took a sip from her cup. "We must do this again, Mr. Alphonse."

"Of course."

Alphonse stood up and gave a short bow. He left the room and wandered down the hall. He came to a door that was slightly ajar and peeked in.

"Hello Ms. Bell. Have you made any progress?"

Alphonse stepped into the room as the redhead looked up from her microscope and swivelled around in her chair to face him. She wore a white apron over her outfit and had her short hair in a ponytail.

"A little bit, Alphonse. I'm really sorry about all of this, but I promise that everything will be fine in the end."

Al wanted to believe her, he really did, but she had taken things too far to earn his trust. What gave her the right to think she could mess with his brother's _life _like this? Anger bubbled deep inside him, but all it really covered was his despair.

"I wish you had just left us alone," Al said softly. He couldn't help himself, even though he generally didn't like to blame anyone for anything, Ms. Bell was clearly at fault here. Even _she _didn't know what was going to happen to his brother!

During their talk yesterday, the woman had kept saying not to worry, and he had asked her why. Ms. Bell had said that she had only given his brother a small dose, and that the effects would be starting to wear off already.

With a sinking feeling, Al had told her that the report from the doctor said that the effects were long-lasting, and maybe even permanent. Apparently that had not been part of her plan, and now Ms. Bell was trying to create a counter to the drug she injected in Edward. The woman hadn't said what would happen to Edward if they didn't do anything, but it didn't take a genius to figure out that Ed was now in very real danger.

Ms. Bell looked at Alphonse with something like regret in her eyes. "I'm sorry," she said. With a final comforting look, Ms. Bell turned around and went back to peering through her microscope.

Alphonse turned around and left the room without another word. He couldn't go to the military with the new information he had, for they would surely arrest Ms. Bell and then she wouldn't be able to work on a cure for Edward.

But then again, if Al learned how she made the first drug, he could bring the information to the military and professionals could work on finding a cure themselves.

But then _again, _there was Anna to think about.

Al sighed and sunk to the ground. He leaned against the hallway wall and rested his head on his arms. What was he supposed to do now?

* * *

Edward struggled to rise out of the depths of unconsciousness. He could hear voices around him, but it sounded as if someone had muffled the sound somehow and he couldn't make anything out. His whole body ached, and he felt as if he were spinning around. Ed cracked his eyes open and everything assaulted him all at once.

"Edward!" The suddenly clear sound brought a sharp stab of pain through his head and he brought his hand up to his head immediately, only to find that his hand didn't seem to want to move.

"Shut up Roy," he barely managed to gasp. He let his eyes fall shut on the worried face of his superior and was almost soothed by the darkness that consumed his vision.

"Edward?"

The voice was softer this time, and Ed felt a hand rest on his forehead. The gesture would've been comforting, but right now all it did was bring an even stronger wave of pain upon him.

"Don't touch me," he whispered. Talking was a challenge in itself, and Ed wished with all his might that Roy would _leave him alone. _He had thought that being in Roy's presence was painful before, but this pain was taking it to a whole new level.

Ed felt like he was going to die.

"Give him some space!"

Ed winced as the harsh whisper cut through his head, but Roy's hand withdrew immediately and Ed was grateful for that. He lay in total silence for a while, before he decided to risk opening his eyes again.

The white ceiling of a _hospital _greeted him. Ed would've groaned if it wasn't so painful to do anything. He turned his head slightly and everything started spinning as pain shot through him.

Quite frankly, he was alarmed. Edward knew that he didn't pay that much attention to his health most of the time, but he was positive that he hadn't done anything to end up feeling like this. Was he experiencing some sort of super delayed concussion or something? And why was he in so much pain? What were all the doctors in this damn hospital _doing? _

"Edward?"

Ed recognized the voice of Maes Hughes. It was a little bit strange not to hear the man gushing over his daughter and wife immediately upon seeing him, but it was a nice change all the same. He slowly turned his head a little bit more, wincing all the while, until he could see both men clearly.

Roy was standing a good distance away with his hands clasped together in what could only be worry. When Ed made eye contact with him the man suddenly looked abashed. "I'll get a doctor," he said suddenly, dashing out of the room.

Hughes shook his head slowly, and then approached Edward. "How are you feeling Ed? What happened?"

Even though Hughes was now standing over him, Edward was in too much pain to turn his head to look up at his face, so he just addressed the buttons lining the man's military coat.

"Head hurts," he muttered, letting his eyes fall shut again. "I feel like I was run over or something."

"Were you?"

Edward's breath caught in his throat when he realized that he _did not_ know what the hell had happened to him, or why he was in a hospital. _Again. _

"You tell me," he finally decided to say.

With Roy gone, the pain in his body was slowly ebbing away, and Ed was able to turn his head to face Hughes. The man was looking at him with a serious expression, one that Edward didn't know he was capable of, seeing how he behaved most of the time.

"What do you remember?" Hughes asked.

Edward struggled to recall what had happened, but the only thing that popped into his head was the image of a sandwich.

"We went out for lunch," he said.

"Then what happened?"

Ed felt a flash of annoyance. How the hell was he supposed to know? The pain was almost completely gone now, with only a dull ache in his head. Ed tried moving again, but nothing responded.

"Look, I don't know what happened, okay?!" Edward jerked his head around and glared at the wall.

"Ed– "

Edward whipped his head back around as the door burst open and a doctor strode in, effectively cutting off Hughes. Roy came in behind the doctor and stood against the wall. The doctor came up beside Ed's beside as Hughes backed off and went to stand beside Roy.

"I'm Dr. Westwood," the greying man said. "I'm the lead doctor in your case, and I'll be taking care of you from now on."

Oh. So he was a case now was he? This man was different than the doctor who had seen him the last time, but that was okay. Edward hated all doctors equally.

He could do nothing but lie limply as the doctor checked him over. When asked where exactly he was hurting, Ed didn't say anything.

"He said his head was hurting," Hughes spoke up, "and I think he's sore all over."

Out of the corner of his eye, Ed saw Roy give him a sharp glare for trying to deny his pain. The pain in his head suddenly spiked and he let out a loud gasp.

Everyone was all over him after that.

* * *

"If you don't want to die, you'll keep that thing away from me."

Edward normally didn't threaten women but this lady was asking for it. The nurse shoved the tray she was carrying behind her back and continued edging towards him nervously.

"Just because I can't see it doesn't mean I don't know that it's there! Don't come any closer!"

Roy and Hughes had left to talk with Dr. Westwood after he had checked to make sure everything was alright. Ed couldn't even begin to understand why they didn't just talk about his condition in front of him. He wanted to know too!

That and he kind of wanted somebody to protect him from the crazy nurse that was still advancing towards him. Edward tried with all his might to even move an inch, but his body was against him. He wasn't a hundred percent sure, but he was pretty sure he had never stayed paralyzed for this long!

The nurse was beside him now and disinfected the crook of his left arm. For a fleeting second Edward wished that both his arms were made of metal, but dismissed the thought immediately. Even in his almost-panicked state, he wasn't foolish enough to even think of wishing for a thing like that.

"It'll only be a little pinch," the nurse said soothingly. Ed wasn't going to fall for it; he knew better.

"That's what they all say right before they stab me!"

The nurse didn't comment as she tied a tourniquet on his upper arm. "Can you make a fist for me?" she asked. "Oh, I guess not."

She was damn lucky he couldn't! Otherwise, his fist would've been in her stomach right about now. The nurse started feeling his arm gently, looking for a vein, and it was then that Edward started to panic.

"Come on, don't I get any say in this?" he asked desperately. "You're not allowed to do things like this without the consent of the patient!"

"It's already been approved," the nurse said simply.

That was it. Ed had been trying super duper hard to keep calm before now, but there was no other option for him to take. He really didn't want to do this, but he preferred it over getting stabbed.

"SOMEBODY HELP! THE NURSE IS TRYING TO STAB ME! SOMEBODY PLEASE SAVE ME! AAAAAAAHH!"

The nurse leaped away from him as rapid footsteps sounded down the hall. Roy appeared in the open doorway, and the relief that had surged through Edward suddenly vanished. Roy took a second to assess the situation, and then smirked. He stepped into the room and shut the door behind him.

"There's no need to create such a fuss, Edward." Roy seemed to have regained his composure and was now back to full teasing mode. "After all, it's just one _little _needle."

"ARGHH! WHO ARE YOU CALLING SMA–"

"There we go!"

Edward tore his eyes away from Roy and looked down at his arm in horror to see the needle embedded in his flesh. He immediately changed the words of his rant.

"GET IT OUT GET IT OUT GET IT OUT GET IT OUUUTT!"

The nurse made no move to erase his obvious discomfort, and only gave him an apologetic smile.

"PLEASE, I'M BEGGING YOU, TAKE IT OUT! PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE!"

Ed shook his head from side to side in distress, but his efforts accomplished nothing. He didn't even know why he was acting like this! Sure, he always made a big deal about needles, but he never got _this _hysterical!

A warm hand suddenly covered his eyes and held his head still. "Calm down, Edward," Roy said. Even though Edward couldn't see his face, he could recognize the concern hidden in Roy's tone.

Huh, his freaking out must've been freaking out Roy.

Edward stopped yelling and tried his best not to focus on the needle in his arm, piercing through his skin, stabbing his vein and _sucking _the precious blood out of him . . . ugh!

"Please tell me it's almost done!"

"It's almost done, Edward."

"Liar!"

* * *

"From the way things are looking right now, I'd say he will be paralyzed permanently."

Roy stiffened as Hughes stifled a gasp beside him. How could he have allowed Edward's condition to come to this?

"I can send him home with you today, but you'll have to change your lifestyle a bit in order to accommodate for his disability."

No. No, no, no, no, no! Edward didn't have a disability – even with automail, he was one of the most capable people Roy knew!

"Are you sure this is permanent? Edward has been falling over paralyzed from time to time, but it always goes away eventually."

Roy struggled to keep his cool as he questioned the doctor. There had to be a logical explanation for this. There was no way that Edward could be paralyzed for life. Edward deserved better, much better!

"Well, there was only a small trace of the drug in the blood sample that was taken a few days ago. It's become stronger since then and now it's widespread. To be quite frank, I don't know why this hasn't been monitored."

Roy opened his mouth, about to make an angry retort, but the hand Maes put on his shoulder stopped him and all the fight went out of him.

"Thank-you, Dr. Westwood. The colonel will be taking Edward home today," Maes said.

The doctor nodded and swept out of the office. Roy slumped down in his chair and put his head in his hands. He really was useless. He was a state alchemist in the military and held the rank of a colonel; he had loyal subordinates who would follow him without question and connections that could get him almost anything he wanted, and yet here he was, with no power to do anything as Edward suffered right before his eyes.

"We'll make this right Roy, you'll see." Maes gave his shoulder a firm squeeze, but Roy didn't feel comforted at all. "Edward needs support now more than ever, and it's up to you to give him that support now that Alphonse can't."

How could Roy give Edward any support at all when the kid was always trying to put distance between them? Alphonse was the only one that Edward would open up to right now.

"Just bring Alphonse over," Roy mumbled between his fingers. "I'm trying, but every time I get close to Edward he gets really irritated and a bit agitated."

"I can't bring Alphonse over; he's still missing."

Roy's head snapped up to look at Maes' somber face. "I can tell that Al really wants to be with his brother, especially because of what's going on," Maes continued, "but since he can't, Al has taken it upon himself to do some investigations on his own."

That certainly sounded like something the younger Elric would do. The devotion the two brothers had for one another was astounding, really.

"I think that Alphonse may have succeeded in his investigations."

Roy's stomach gave an uncomfortable churn. How could something good be so terribly bad? If Alphonse had been captured by the woman, Edward was not going to be happy . . .

"Don't tell Edward." Roy didn't need his charge to be worrying himself sick over his brother right now. And there was nothing Edward could do to help either.

Maes gave Roy an unreadable look, but didn't question him. ". . . It's all up to you then."

* * *

Edward couldn't believe his luck. Of course he had known before that he didn't have any luck, but now he finally realized that he did have some. It was just his luck that the luck he had happened to be bad.

"Cheer up Edward, remember, it could always be worse."

Roy's obviously fake jovial voice grated against Edward's ears as he was wheeled down the hallway. Ed scowled and glared down at the straps holding him in place. "How could this be any worse? I can't freaking move!"

"You could be dead."

Well, that was true. Everything would be worse if he was dead, because then Al would be all alone in the big wide cruel world. He would have failed his promise to his last remaining family member, making him the worst big brother in the whole world–

"Or you could be naked."

What the hell? Edward attempted to twist around to look at Roy, but the most he could do was turn his head to stare either to the left or to the right. Eventually he just his head fall back and rolled his eyes up to see Roy smiling down at him.

Ed suddenly didn't feel very safe in the man's presence. Roy wasn't demanding any answers from him though, and was acting as casual as one could be in this situation. Roy's easy-going demeanour had calmed the pain in his head considerably, and now Ed felt like he could almost relax.

"I bet you'd just _love _to see that, wouldn't you?"

"No, I have eyes for beautiful women only, Edward."

"I hope so."

"What's that supposed to mean?!"

Edward chuckled lightly as Roy lifted a hand and bopped him over the head. He didn't fail to notice that this contact didn't bother his head at all. Instead, warmth blossomed in his chest, and it felt completely natural.

Edward pushed all of his doubts to the back of his head and gave in to the moment.

* * *

**L.Q: **Seems like it's been forever since I last posted.

**Lest: **It's only been just over a week though, right?

**L.Q: **Maybe. All this time I've just been reading fanfiction and Otomen manga instead of writing, and I have to say that . . . I regret nothing.

**Lest: **You better try harder for the next chapter!

**L.Q: **Hey! I actually worked really hard on this one; I had to make some big decisions.

**Lest: **Tell us what you think! (Review, review, review!)

**L.Q: **Till next time!


	11. Chapter 11

**Disclaimer: L.Q does not own Fullmetal Alchemist.**

* * *

Edward stared at Roy, and Roy stared back. The bowl of stew sat innocently between them, and Roy knew that both of them were thinking the same thing.

How the hell was Edward supposed to eat?!

It hit Roy right then and there that this was probably going to be the least of his problems. Edward couldn't do a single thing for himself anymore. Heck, in this state he wouldn't be able to change his clothes, brush his teeth, or even bathe himself . . .

There was no way Roy could do this.

Not that he didn't think he was _capable _of doing these things for Edward – he was a very capable man after all, and not at all useless – but he didn't think that Edward would be able to tolerate it. Even though they were both male, they weren't close at all, Edward hated him, and Roy was his superior officer. What would _anyone _have to say about that?

"I'm not hungry." Edward broke the silence between them and jerked Roy out of his thoughts. "You can just take me to my room. By tomorrow my mobility will probably be back."

Roy would've been lying if he said he didn't want to take Edward up on that offer. But the truth was that he would just have to man up and _take care of Edward _– even if it would be uncomfortable and awkward for both of them.

"I'm not going to take you to your room Edward," Roy said pleasantly, "I'm going to feed you some stew. It's your favourite, right?"

The look Edward gave him would've been priceless in any other situation – the teen looked like he wanted to disappear – but right now Roy only felt sympathy. Not that Edward wanted any; he had made that quite clear in the past.

"I'm not hungry," Edward repeated. "I'm serious Roy; I don't want to eat!" Edward's tone took on a desperate edge as Roy stood up and walked around to Ed's side of the table.

"Everyone needs to eat," Roy said simply. He steeled himself before plopping down in a seat next to his wheelchair bound charge. He placed the bowl of stew on his lap and scooped up a spoonful. Edward's face was as red as a tomato and he wouldn't look Roy in the eye.

"You don't have to do this." Edward's lips barely moved and his face was turned to the side, as if he was afraid Roy would try to just shove the spoon into his mouth if he gave him the opportunity.

"_You _don't have to do this," Roy said back. "Please, just work with me here Edward."

"How can I?!" Edward turned his face back to Roy and fixed him with a fiery glare. "How can I look you in the eye while you feed me like baby?"

"You don't have to look me in the eye."

Roy quickly placed the stew back on the table and got up to circle around Edward. The boy tried to follow his movements, but once Roy was behind him there was nothing he could do. He grabbed the handles of Ed's wheelchair and pushed him into the living room.

"What are you doing?"

"Just trust me."

Roy parked Ed beside the couch and circled around to the front of him. He undid the straps holding Edward in place and picked him up.

"Urgh, put me _down, _Mustang! I'm not some doll you can just tote around whenever you feel like it!"

Roy ignored Edward as he sat him on the couch, and then went back to the kitchen. Edward was slowly but surely tipping over by the time Roy came back with the bowl of stew in his hand, and Roy quickly sat down beside Edward so that the child leaned on him. He slung an arm over the back of the couch so that Edward would be more comfortable against his side and balanced the stew on his lap.

"There. This is much more comfy, isn't it?"

"If I had the use of even just one fist, you would be in a world of pain right now."

"I know."

Roy scooped up a spoonful of stew and brought it to Ed's lips as casually as he could. He waited one, three, five seconds, before Edward opened his mouth and – grudgingly – accepted the food.

Victory! He was a little bit surprised that Ed had given in so easily, but he was willing not to question it for the sake of getting this over with as quickly as possible.

Neither of them said anything else as Roy continued to feed Edward. Roy found himself watching the boy as he ate. Edward didn't look at him but stared straight ahead, so Roy was able to discreetly watch for the swallow that indicated Ed was ready for another bite. The whole process went rather smoothly, in Roy's opinion, and soon enough he was scraping the bowl to get the last of the stew.

Roy leaned forward slightly and set the bowl on the coffee table once it was empty. He leaned back and let his head fall back against the couch, filled with the kind of contentment one gets after accomplishing something.

Roy would've been happy to sit in silence for a long while, but he was sure that Ed felt extremely uncomfortable right now. In his situation, who wouldn't? Something was also bothering Edward, and Roy would have to communicate with him if he wanted to find out what it was.

But first he would have to gain Ed's trust.

"Edward, Dr. Westwood thinks that your current condition might be permanent," Roy said bluntly. He knew his subordinate wasn't very good at reading between the lines, and it would be cruel to dance around the topic with him now.

"What?!" The expression on Ed's face was something akin to horror.

Roy hurried to pacify his charge. "A cure is being worked on, and I can say with complete confidence that you won't be in this condition for long."

In the back of his mind, Roy wondered how long he would be able to keep spinning this web of lies before he got caught in them. Ed didn't look reassured though, and let his head fall to stare blankly down at his lap.

"I'm not going to lie; the next few days will probably be tough for the both of us." Roy scooted a little bit away from Edward so that he had room to turn his body and look at the teen head on. "But I promise that you are safe with me, and that I will take care of you to the best of my abilities."

Edward lifted his head and stared at Roy with searching eyes. Roy bravely held his gaze, trying to convey his sincerity in the wordless exchange.

Apparently Ed found what he was looking for, for he let out a humorous laugh and seemed to relax. "I guess I'm in trouble then," he said, "because the last time I checked, you were pretty useless."

Roy reached out and ruffled Ed's hair. "You'll be eating your words soon enough, Ed."

* * *

After much awkwardness and red colouring of faces, Edward lay alone in the darkness, staring up at the ceiling. The covers were pulled up to right below his chin and his arms lay straight by his sides.

How he was _possibly _expected to be able to fall asleep like this, Ed didn't know.

Reflecting on his current situation, he had to admit that he was in quite a horrible bind indeed. Truth must really hate him. To be stripped of all independency and reduced to _this _was quite frankly, humiliating.

But Mustang was taking it surprisingly well.

He hadn't left Ed to rot in some sort of long-term care facility, and had accepted the burden that was Ed with open arms. He certainly hadn't been neglected (so far) and Roy hadn't said a single thing to put him down.

As much as Edward wanted to think that Roy was simply doing all of this because some long slumbering amount of goodwill had suddenly awakened within him, Ed had a feeling that there was something more.

Of course he knew from the beginning that something wasn't adding up, but now more than ever he felt that he was being left out of the loop. There was more to his condition than a simple concussion. Mustang knew it, Hughes knew it, and Dr. Westwood knew it. Heck, maybe even Al knew it!

Edward knew that he should be demanding answers. He should be screaming and throwing a fit and beating the information out of them, but he was just taking everything lying down.

Why was that?

Ah, he knew. It was the part of his crazy mind that longed for attention and fantasized about family that was to blame. It was the part that spread warmth throughout his body at inappropriate moments and confused him to no end that made him feel like he could . . . trust Roy.

Ed couldn't kid himself anymore; he had no idea why he was feeling like this and he didn't know what to do to make these feelings go away. When he went against them and tried to deny Roy the only thing he felt was pain, but a love and happiness like no other consumed him whenever he abandoned all caution and gave in to what was struggling to burst in his mind.

Clearly, he couldn't fight anymore.

Not that he was giving up, oh no, he was nothing if not a fighter; he was just . . . biding his time. He wouldn't have a chance of surviving the coming days if he was fighting a war within himself.

Nothing more would happen if he just gave in to it now. Roy said he would be safe with him, after all. No one would strike him if he let his guard down, right?

Right.

Edward sighed and made to turn over, but only his head followed through with the action. Clearly this was going to be a long night.

* * *

"No."

"It's not going to kill you –"

"_Please _no."

Roy stopped to consider. Things _had _been going pretty slow at work, with the exception of Edward's case, so surely it wouldn't hurt if he were to work on his paperwork from home. Being considerate of Ed's feelings and sparing him the embarrassment of being dragged around headquarters would be a really nice thing to do . . .

And doing nice things earned trust points!

Not to say that he wouldn't have done it otherwise, but it helped to have extra motivation.

"I'll give the Lieutenant a call and see if she can deliver my paperwork here for today."

Edward gave a sigh of relief as Roy struggled to pull a shirt over his head.

"Thanks, Colonel."

Ed's voice came out muffled, but it only reassured Roy that he was not smothering his subordinate with the article of clothing. Once he got Ed's shirt straightened out, he opened Ed's drawers and regarded the teen's leather pants in dismay.

"Don't you have any other outfits?"

Edward seemed to know what he was thinking, for he said, "Any and all loose, comfy clothes are back in Resembool; that's the only place where I laze around."

"Right." Roy straightened up and regarded the teen he had left sprawled out on the bed. "We're going to have to go clothes shopping then." Roy couldn't resist. "It shouldn't be too hard; all we have to do is pick up the smallest size."

"WHO ARE YOU CALLING SO SMALL HE COULD GET SWALLOWED UP BY THE TINIEST BIT OF FABRIC?!"

"I never said that, Edward."

"Tch. Just shut up."

Roy reached behind him and grabbed Edward's pants. "I don't even know how you can move in these," he muttered as he grabbed Edward's foot and navigated it through a pants leg.

"I don't even know how you can _breathe _in that military crap you always wear."

"It's called a uniform."

Roy found that when they held conversations they forgot their awkwardness and Ed didn't seem as embarrassed about whatever Roy was helping him with. He was certainly being more agreeable than he had been last night.

"A monkey suit is what it's called!"

Roy finally pulled Edward's pants up all the way, and then button and zipped it. There was only one last thing to do. He turned around and snatched a hairbrush and hair tie from the top of the dresser, and then walked back to Edward.

He pulled the teen into a sitting position and sat down behind him. Edward tipped backwards and leaned against him, but he was still short enough that Roy would be able to work with his hair properly.

Roy ran the brush through Ed's golden locks. It was interesting for such a masculine person like Edward to have such beautiful hair. Soon, the brush glided easily through the hair, and Roy realized something fairly important.

"I don't know how to braid hair."

Edward shook his head slightly. "It doesn't matter. I sometimes put my hair in a ponytail."

"Okay."

Roy didn't know how to do a ponytail either. And he didn't want to admit that he had pretty much zero experience in dealing with long hair. All the ladies he took out on dates were able to do their own hair!

Five minutes later Roy had completed a messy ponytail and Ed was shaking with laughter. It was the most movement Roy had seen Ed do while paralyzed.

"I would've just told you to leave it if I knew you would have so much trouble!" the boy chuckled.

Roy got up and let Edward fall backwards onto the bed, still laughing. Normally he would've been angry, but he had to let Ed get his kicks in somehow.

* * *

"How about this?"

Roy parted the clothes on the rack and picked up a red t-shirt.

Edward barely looked at it before saying, "That's fine." He didn't need to study it; if it was red, it was perfectly fine.

Edward stared up at the ceiling and tried to ignore the eyes that were on him. This was his first time out in public (on purpose) while paralyzed, and he had to say that he didn't like all the attention he was getting.

If they had been looking at him with awe he wouldn't have minded one bit. In fact, he would have welcomed such attention. But now people were staring at him with pity and curiosity in their eyes, and it was making him feel highly self conscious.

Roy was now looking between light grey sweatpants and black ones. "Which colour do you prefer Ed?"

"I really don't care. Just hurry up and get whatever."

Ed wasn't very picky about clothes, and Roy seemed to realize that after a while, for he stopped asking for Ed's opinion on every single item and grabbed things off the rack.

"Why are you looking at that, Roy? We're just getting _comfy_ clothes."

Roy looked up from a selection of jeans. "Not anymore, Edward. I've decided that your wardrobe could use a complete makeover."

"What's wrong with what I have?"

"It's time for you to change your style."

"My style is amazing!"

Roy held up his hands in surrender. "I'm not saying that it's not, Ed." He turned back to the jeans and started sorting through the pile. "I just think that in your condition . . . you might feel more comfortable wearing something that's not so recognizable."

Wow. Roy had really thought ahead. Yeah, Ed was embarrassed about people looking at him strapped in a wheelchair, but it would be worse if they knew they were looking at the Fullmetal Alchemist strapped in a wheelchair.

"With these clothes, you'll look just like a normal teenage boy. There's nothing we can do about your height though."

"WHO ARE YOU CALLING SHORTER THAN YOUR DREAM MINISKIRT?!"

All around the store heads turned and Ed could tell that Roy was holding back a smirk as he wheeled him away.

* * *

Edward had enough clothes to last him the rest of his life. T-shirts, shirts, jeans, cargo pants, sweatpants, slacks, _shorts and tank tops, _socks, boxers, sweaters, gloves, and even a new black jacket dominated his bed.

He really hoped that Roy hadn't paid for it all with his research budget. But he hoped even more that Roy hadn't used his _own _money.

"How did you pay for all of this?" he asked from his spot against the wall.

"Don't worry about it," Roy said.

Crap. He _had _used his own money! Now he was in debt to the colonel. Edward Elric was in debt due to clothes. For clothes he wouldn't even be able to take with him once he was fit for travel again.

The world was a cruel, cruel place.

"I'll pay you back."

Roy looked up from the price tag he was removing. "I said don't worry about it! It was nothing. The military pays me handsomely; I only used a _little_ on you."

"WHO ARE YOU CALLING A TINY LITTLE PIPSQUEAK?!"

Roy sighed and went back to snipping off price tags. "No one, Ed."

* * *

Roy finished putting away the last of the clothes just as the doorbell rang. He was halfway out the door before he remembered that Edward couldn't follow.

"Will you be fine there?"

Edward gave him a what-do-you-think look from his position on the floor against the wall. "Go ahead and see who it is; it's not like I'm going anywhere."

Roy hurried down the stairs and opened the door to find Hawkeye holding a _large _cardboard box. "Good afternoon, sir." She hefted the box in her arms slightly, "I've brought you your paperwork."

"Thank-you, Lieutenant." Roy took the box from her and resisted the urge to put it down immediately; it was quite heavy.

Hawkeye turned slightly to leave, but seemed hesitant to do so. She stood on Roy's doorstep for a second longer, and then seemed to make her decision. She moved closer to Roy and asked in a low voice, "How is Edward doing?"

Roy stepped to the side. "Would you like to come in and see for yourself?"

"I must decline, sir." Hawkeye said, shaking her head. "When I'm not at the office, nothing gets done."

"I see. Well, Edward's been doing as well as can be expected for someone in his condition."

Roy then realized that this didn't actually answer Hawkeye's question, but she seemed to get it. She nodded and turned to leave. "Make sure to complete your paperwork on time sir, and I hope to be seeing you at work soon."

Roy gave a curt nod. "Will do, Lieutenant."

After seeing Hawkeye off Roy brought his paperwork to the living room and then returned to Edward's room. He found Edward – surprise surprise – just the way he had left him.

"Who was it?" Ed asked.

"It was just the Lieutenant. She came by to drop off my paperwork."

"Oh. That must bring you absolute joy." Ed snickered.

Roy bent down to pick up Edward and carried him back down the stairs. "Oh yes, it's absolute joy for the both of us."

"What do you mean by that?!"

Roy reached the living room and placed Edward down on the couch. "You have the honour of watching me do paperwork."

"Can't I just read instead?"

Roy could practically see Edward give himself a mental face palm at the suggestion. The options of things a paralyzed person could do to entertain themselves seemed to be very little, and reading a book was not on the list. But Edward was a child prodigy, a genius. Surely he wouldn't let this hold him back.

"Once you think of something, tell me and I'll build it for you," Roy said as he settled down on the opposite couch and pulled his paperwork onto his lap.

Fifteen minutes later an advanced alchemy book was resting on a stand and Ed was turning the pages with a transmuted stick-like thing he held in his mouth.

Peace and quiet reigned in the living room, and Roy actually used his time wisely until –

"I can't write any notes!" Edward complained, and the stick fell out of his mouth and onto the floor. The pages of his book turned rapidly now that they were no longer being held down and his page was lost. "Aw, dammit."

"You're reading for leisure Edward, you don't need to take notes. Just commit it to memory if you have to." Roy went back to his paperwork.

Edward's annoyed voice cut through his concentration. "Aren't you forgetting something?!"

Roy sighed and got up to fix Edward's mess.

* * *

**L.Q: **Well, this super late chapter was a little bit pointless.

**Lest: **Yup, just a little bit.

**L.Q: **All I can say is that I'm sorry. Super sorry. Extremely sorry. I didn't mean for this to be so late.

**Lest: **It's okay; just write the next chapter quickly.

**L.Q: **I'll do my best! Thanks for all the lovely reviews, by the way.


	12. Chapter 12

**Disclaimer: Legendarily Quiet does not own Fullmetal Alchemist.**

* * *

"He wears a suit of armour. . . No, this is not a joke. . . Yes, he's a missing child!" Hughes held the phone to his ear and listened to the voice on the other end. "Yes, thank-you officer." Hughes set the phone down as his wonderful wife Gracia came up to him with a cup of coffee.

"Thank-you darling, you're such an angel!" Maes exclaimed as he accepted the much appreciated beverage. He took a sip, and it tasted wonderful, but it did nothing to soothe his worry for Alphonse.

"Keep your head up dear; I'm sure Alphonse is alright, wherever he is." Gracia came to sit beside him, and he forced himself to relax in her presence. "I can't help but worry though."

That was just like his amazing wife, to be so kind and caring to every single person she met!

Maes set his coffee cup down and embraced Gracia. "Don't worry honey; I'll find him."

* * *

Roy looked up from his completed paperwork and rubbed his tired eyes. It was amazing what he could do when he really put his mind to it.

He looked over at his charge and saw that Edward had made some accomplishments of his own as well. His head was tipped to the side – uncomfortably – as he slept, surrounded by alchemy texts. Roy hadn't even known that he _had _that many books, but Ed had forced him to get up to fetch almost every single one of them. And he knew for a fact that Edward had actually _read _all of them.

Ed was really something else, wasn't he?

A fond smile found its way to his face, and Roy got up to set Edward into a more comfortable position. Edward woke up a little bit and looked at him through heavily lidded eyes as Roy gently took a hold of his head.

He winced as a crick in his neck was straightened out, and Roy gently rubbed his neck. Edward must've been really tired, for he let his eyes fall shut again and tried to lean his head back.

"Oh no, you don't," Roy said softly. "I'm taking you upstairs."

Edward didn't give a reply, and Roy had to wonder if he had even heard him. Shaking his head, he picked him up bridal style – which he was getting very good at – and carried him upstairs.

He lay Edward on his bed and pulled the covers up to his chin. As an afterthought, he carefully eased the hair tie out of Ed's hair and let his golden locks spill over the pillow.

Edward turned his head slightly but his face remained peaceful. He almost looked like a different person when his face wasn't holding a frown and his brows weren't creased with worry. He wasn't wearing a shit-eating grin to hide his insecurities – Roy was sure he had some – and his face was a picture of open innocence. Roy found himself staring at the boy. No, it wasn't a perverted stare, but more like a gaze full of wonder.

Before him was a child.

But this was a child that had joined the military a year ago, and had made a place for himself in the adult world. He was able to take on dangerous jobs and handle them better than some full grown men could. This was a child who could take down bigger opponents and laugh in the face of danger while feeling truly confident, instead of breaking into hysterics like any other kid would.

Looking at Fullmetal sparked inspiration, but also great sadness.

This was a child who could look at a dead body drenched in blood and not throw up. He could turn his blade on another to simply complete a mission, or even to defend his own life. This was a child who had been forced to harden himself and throw _away _the title of a child, just so he could have a fighting chance.

And if Edward were to suddenly be dropped into the ideal family, he would be considered scarred.

Roy had always convinced himself that this had been Ed's choice, that it was the boy's determination that had led him here. And to a certain degree, it was. But when Roy went back to the beginning, to the first time the boy had seen that military blue, he couldn't deny that this was all his doing.

People had glared at him in disgust as he walked past, appalled at how he could bring a _child _into the military. He had countered it with the fact that this was just life. The world could sometimes be a cruel place, and people did what they had to do.

Whether they did it for their own gain or for the benefit of others was the question.

Looking down at Ed's face, the ruthlessness of his own actions slapped him in the face. If he had just left him alone in that wheelchair that day, would Ed have been able to recover by himself and grow up to be a happier person today?

Maybe, maybe not, perhaps he had only sped up the inevitable. Just by looking at Edward one could tell that he was a strong person, and loved his brother to the ends of the earth. His love and determination would've pushed him to do something eventually, right?

Maybe _Roy _introducing him to the military was just another means to an end. The end was the military, and if Roy hadn't intervened Ed would've still learned about the state libraries sooner or later once he got back on his feet.

In fact, maybe Ed was _better off _with Roy introducing him to the military instead of finding his way there himself. He had Roy to look out for him, to protect him from the greedy dogs that lay in the ranks.

But then again, maybe Roy was only kidding himself. He knew that people who had committed crimes sometimes twisted and warped reality so they could live in the delusion that what they had done wasn't so bad.

Roy had done something very bad and he couldn't deny it. He only hoped that Edward would never realize it himself. That he would still be seen as 'Colonel Bastard' only because he often made fun of Ed's height and not because he was the person who had thrown him to the wolves.

Though if he thought about it they were technically dogs, or to be even more accurate, humans. Adults. Adult world. Yeah, that was it. He had thrown Edward headfirst into the adult world, and the kid had been forced to deal with the worst of it.

Roy reached down to touch Edward's cheek. Even though this person had been through hell and back, he was still someone to be loved, and Roy loved him like a son.

Roy froze with his hand against Ed's cheek. Had he really just thought that? It was an alarming thing to think, really. Oh yes, it was wonderful and a bit shocking and exhilarating all at the same time, but mostly alarming.

Edward suddenly pushed against Roy's hand. He turned his head and before Roy could take action his hand got trapped between his subordinate's cheek and the pillow.

A warm rush filled him and suddenly he understood what it meant to feel fuzzy feelings of love. Yes, this realization had _startled _him, but he could accept it. No matter what he had done in the past, he could make up for it now.

He was doing all he could to gain Ed's complete trust, and make himself a person that Edward could turn to without hesitation. He hadn't realized it before, but he was not doing it because he wanted to bring a mysterious woman to justice, or because Maes had told him to. Roy wasn't even doing it because it was his duty; he had been doing it all along because he _wanted _to.

"Nngh." Edward shifted his head again and Roy took his hand away. The loss of even this small amount of warmth was enough to make Edward's eyelids flicker. Roy held his breath as Edward stared up at him with sleep hazed eyes.

"Watching me while I sleep?" he mumbled. "Are you not even the tiniest bit ashamed?"

"Nope." Nothing could ruin this moment now. Roy smiled at him while Ed stared back with a blank expression, still half asleep.

"Pedo–"

"I am not!"

* * *

Cassandra Bell sighed as she leaned back in her chair and rubbed her tired eyes. The setting sun left her sitting in shadows as she listened to the laugher of her daughter that echoed down the hall.

Who knew such a simple plan could've gone so awry?

She hadn't meant for it to happen – never in a thousand years – for she had done it with the best of intentions in her heart. Yes, it was an experiment, and yes, she had known beforehand that it wasn't exactly stable, but she had never meant for it to turn out like this!

Cassandra had overestimated herself.

And now she was making herself look like a complete fool, while leaving the life of a child in danger. Or maybe he wasn't even in danger, but it wasn't like _she_ knew what the drug was doing to Edward's body.

And if Cassandra didn't know, who could?

She had hit a dead end. Really, if her creation was more potent than she had designed it to be, then she would have to see the symptoms for herself if there was any hope of her finding a cure. Theory would obviously only get her so far.

But the whole thing had been based on just theory to begin with.

Cassandra pressed the heel of her palms against her eyes, willing her tears not to leak through. She had thought that she was a changed person, that the cold unfeeling eyes she used to examine her subjects through saw everything in a new light now, but she really was inhumane, through and through. It didn't matter what her reasons were, she had still used another human being, another _child_, as a test subject.

How could she atone for her sins and bring happiness to others if all she ever did was destroy lives while trying?

Cassandra let her hands fall into her lap, and tears ran down her face freely.

"Mommy?"

The door creaked open behind her and Cassandra swiftly brought a sleeve up to wipe away her tears.

"Yes, Anna?" She swiveled around in her chair to look at her daughter. She was peeking through the open doorway, fingering the hem of her shirt.

"Mister Alphonse said that it's time for him to leave."

"Did he now?"

Well, this was it. Cassandra didn't want him to go, but she couldn't blame him for his actions. Alphonse wasn't stupid, and had probably figured out before she had that she was just wasting precious time. She had had her chance to fix things, but had failed, and now Alphonse was taking things into his own hands. What a responsible boy.

But . . . Cassandra could be responsible too!

Cassandra clenched her hands into fists before leaping up and dashing through the door, pushing her daughter aside.

"Alphonse, wait!"

* * *

Edward opened his eyes slowly. The room was dark, so the sun must've set a while ago. He wondered idly if Roy would come for him any time soon. His stomach was growling, reminding him that he had skipped lunch, and probably dinner, too.

Oh well, it was nothing he hadn't done before.

Besides, Roy was acting a little bit creepy today. After buying him clothes and watching him while he slept, Ed was pretty sure he didn't want to be fed by him today. But then, how else would he eat?

"Edward?"

He squinted as his bedroom door opened and a beam of light from the hallway fell across his eyes.

"Yeah?" he mumbled.

"Do you want to eat now?"

Ed was about to say 'no', but his stomach answered for him. Roy chuckled lightly and stepped into the room.

"Sorry for being so late," he said as he threw back Ed's covers and lifted him up. "I was reading and I lost track of time."

Edward smiled, glad that Roy had a legitimate excuse for being late. "I know the feeling."

* * *

**L.Q: **Well.

**Lest: **Mm-hmm?

**L.Q: **Thank-you everyone, sorry everyone, and in the next chapter stuff will happen.

**Lest:** Hopefully.


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